Red in Tooth and Claw
by DevinBourdain
Summary: There are many witches in the world and Hansel and Gretel have just begun. When they happen upon a small town with a large witch population, things quickly get out of hand. Muriel may not have been the only witch with plans to exploit the witch hunters' heritage. Warning: Language and violence
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters characters are not mine, just borrowed for this story.

Warnings: language and violence.

Reviews are always welcome

* * *

**Red in Tooth and Claw**

The wind whipped through Katja's hair as she sped over the tree tops, and her hands ached from gripping her broom so tightly. She had been going nonstop for the last four days in a desperate bid to escape the witch hunters. The chances of them following her were slim to none, but having watched her fellow witches gunned down during the ritual had left Katja terrified and desperate. A rare feeling of fear spread through her. Never had witch hunters been that successful at taking out so many.

Several of the covens were at odds with one another, which normally wouldn't have been a concern, until Muriel had sent out invitations for the blood moon ritual. One coven could not be allowed to get an advantage over another and Katja had been sent to spy on the gathering. Muriel had made the claim once before and failed to deliver, so there was much skepticism on whether or not she could succeed this time. The spell would provided to much of an advantage for Muriel if she could see it through.

The one positive of the resent blood bath was Muriel had failed to complete the ritual and paid for her treachery with her life. That left a very large area open to be claimed by another coven. This news would make her sisters very happy and everything that Katja had been through that night would prove useful. Her coven could make a play to absorb the now unclaimed territory into theirs. All those extra souls within their reach; a larger hunting ground would provide so many opportunities.

A wave of relief passed through the witch as she finally had their lair in sight. As quickly as she was able, Katja rushed inside, making her way through the dark and twisted halls of the cave. Eventually the black rock halls expanded into a large cavern and Katja hovered at the edge awaiting her summons.

The grand witch didn't look up from her task. Katja was debating whether or not to announce her presence her intimidating leader when the grand witch spoke up, "What have you learned?"

Katja swallowed and hesitantly moved closer. "I attended the ceremony as you asked. Muriel would have succeeded this time; she found a grand white witch. Hansel the witch hunter turned up to save his sister and killed most of our sisters in attendance, including Muriel, before they could perform the ritual. Hansel and Gretel had help this time, they were not acting alone. They had magic working for them."

The grand witch smiled as she dropped a wiggling worm into her bubbling potion. A puff of purple smoke billowed from the caldron and the flame beneath it turned and eerie shade of green. This turn of events was almost too perfect. She cackled, "Tell me more about this grand white witch."

* * *

Gretel startled awake. She looked around the room for what would have woken her at such a late hour. The village was quiet, as was the inn in which they were staying. Hansel was passed out in the chair near the door and Ben had curled up on the bench by the window. Both men were fast asleep, so whatever it was that caught her attention had gone unnoticed by her companions.

She was just about to go back to sleep when she heard it again. It was soft almost like a whisper lost on the wind. Gretel strained her ears couldn't make out the words. Ever so cautiously she crept out of bed, careful not to wake her brother and Ben. She felt an inexplicable pull towards her satchel. With nimble fingers she opened the bag and quietly searched through the contents. The hushed whisper grow louder, but the words still indiscernible.

A groan from Hansel caused Gretel to freeze. She waited stiffly holding her breath, until she heard his soft snores drift through the room once more. Certain that he was once again asleep she continued her search. Her fingers brushed the side of the wand that she had picked up after their battle with Muriel. Cradling it in her hand she pulled it out of the bag. It called to her, compelled her closer. The stone began to pulse with a soft orange light and Gretel was mesmerized by it. How could something so evil appear so beautiful?

"What are you doing?" croaked Hansel.

Gretel flinched and immediately shoved the wand back into her bag, burying it deep. She calmed her nerves and ignored that guilty feeling that was starting to coil in her stomach like a snake. "Nothing, go back to sleep Hansel," she assured.

Hansel just frowned.

"I'm fine. Look I'm going back to bed. It was just a bad dream." Gretel climbed back into bed and curled up facing the wall. If she had to face that concerned gaze she wasn't sure her resolve would remain intact. She listened intently for the tell tale creak of the chair to signify that Hansel had indeed decided it was nothing and went back to sleep, before she let out a relieved sigh. She rolled over and looked at her brother; sleeping there so peacefully, so trusting. Gretel couldn't place why she felt the need to keep the wand a secret.

They were all each other had in the world and she was doing something they promised they never would do to one another: keep secrets. Gretel didn't know why she had taken Muriel's wand and worse still, she didn't know why she felt the need to keep that fact from her brother. It had been months now and she still couldn't bring the subject up. She kept telling herself she would destroy the evil thing but everyday she put it off.

Gretel closed her eyes and waited for sleep to take her. Tomorrow, she would destroy it tomorrow and Hansel would never have to learn of her lies. The small room at the inn fell in to a peaceful silence and none of the souls inside bore witness to the pulse of red light that flooded the room.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning rays of sunlight peeked through the cracks in the boards along the stable walls. Ben marched into the stable and looked around. His eyes settled on Edward asleep in the back corner. Not wanting to frighten the locals, the troll usually opted to sleep out in the woods when Hansel, Gretel and Ben took a room at a local inn. Fortunately the inn's stable was near the edge of town and rather vacant so Edward had made himself a cozy little nest out of the bales of hay tucked in the back stall.

"Time to get up big guy," called Ben as he started loading their newly purchased supplies onto the cart. "Want to give me a hand here?"

Edward grumbled and reluctantly crawled out of his bed to help the young man organize their supplies. It didn't take long and just as they were adding the last few items, the door creaked open. They both tensed for a moment until Hansel came into view.

"Where're we going next?" asked Hansel as he threw a small bag of food on the cart. It wasn't much but the meagre amounts of bread and cheese the inn keeper was willing to part with would hold them over for a little while. Hopefully Ben would be able to steer them towards some lucrative work.

Ben fumbled with the papers in his pocket. Pulling out the creased and rumbled masses, he laid them out over a bale of hay. Hansel glances at the articles and missing persons posters. "There's a lot of activity near a village called Sage," informed Ben. "Travellers and people living on the out skirts of the town have been disappearing. Seems like our kind of thing."

Hansel cocked his head to the side. It could prove interesting. No one had disappeared from the town yet; that might make the villagers unwilling to accept their help.

"Sage," mumbled Edward, "it's a witch town."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" asked Hansel.

"Town full of witches," clarified the troll.

Edward could be useful most of the time but his aloofness could get on Hansel's nerves. "The _good_ kind, or the _bad_ kind?"

"All kinds."

"And what? The villagers don't notice the decaying hags among them?"

"What's going on here?" asked Gretel as she joined her companions. She could sense the tension within her brother. It had been there since they discovered what really happened to their parents. The news had been a lot to take in, and Gretel hoped he would come around a bit more once he reconciled the new information with his personal beliefs and feelings about the magical world. His reluctance to deal with things had him snapping at Edward more and more.

"I was saying that we should look into all the disappearances near the town of Sage," offered Ben. A slight blush crept up his neck at the kind smile Gretel gave him.

"It's a witch town," enthused Hansel, sharing a look with his sister.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know, ask your friend Edward," said Hansel gesturing to their large friend.

Gretel turned her attention to the troll who grumbled, "Witches live in the town with the people."

Turning back to her brother she asked, "Then I think it's something we should check out. Don't you?"

"You want to go check out a town that is supposedly populated by witches… why not?" Hansel shrugged. "Lead the way Ben."

* * *

It was an exhausted group that stood on the ridge overlooking the sleepy town of Sage. The lack of reliable maps had the witch hunters going in circles for a few days. The fact that the town didn't appear on many maps but was found through hear say and speculation on the part of other towns, fuelled the suspicion of a large witch population. Seeing it in person now, it looked like every other village the siblings had passed through.

There were rows of houses all nestled together and a main street with a steady flow of people coming and going. The delightful giggle of young children playing in the nearby meadow drifted through the forest.

"What do you think Hansel?" asked Gretel. By all appearances it looked to be normal and she didn't have the knot of apprehension that usually made itself known when facing a potentially dangerous situation.

"A closer inspection might be in order. You stay here big guy and keep out of sight." Edward nodded and handed the traveling bags to the others before pulling the cart into the bushes to find a place to bunker down for the night.

The siblings and Ben made their way down the ridge towards the town. They headed for the main street in the village and it didn't take long for the residents to realize there were strangers among them. All eyes seemed to be on the trio and the usual sounds of people going about their business were replaced with whispers and hushed conversations.

Hansel gripped his gun a little tighter, waiting for some idiot to try something. It was inevitable; someone always tried to discourage their presence.

"You must be weary after such a long journey." The trio came to an abrupt halt when a young woman stepped out onto the street before them. Hansel immediately started to size her up in his head. She was beautiful with rosy cheeks and chestnut hair that fell in loose curls around her face. There were no obvious signs of dark magic within her and she offered him a dazzling smile when she caught Hansel's eye. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Andrea; I'm a member of the town council. We don't get many travellers this far away from the main roads. What business do you have in our peaceful little town?"

"Peaceful?" snorted Gretel, "sixteen people have disappeared along the roads outside your village."

"Travellers, all of them. The woods are fraught with danger from thieves, bandits and the like."

"Thieves," chuckled Gretel, "last I checked, thieves didn't skin people. I think witches might be a more accurate explanation." The witch hunters braced themselves for a possible confrontation. Those that practiced the dark arts were usually quick to remove those that learned of their true identities.

It was Andrea's turn to laugh. "Witches? There are no witches in Sage. The village founders ran them out many years ago. I assure you they have not returned."

"Then you wouldn't mind if we checked it out?" proposed Hansel.

"By all means. We were just about to sit down in the town hall and enjoy a feast. All the villagers will be there, why don't you join us?" offered Andrea. Ben's face lit up at the prospect of a large dinner. He enjoyed the witch hunting for the most part but it wasn't always conducive to a full stomach. "It will get you acquainted with the town's people. We've never had such celebrity in town before; you can regale us with the legendary stories of your adventures Hansel and Gretel. I'm sure you'll have a much different opinion of our quaint little village in the morning."

Hansel smirked. "You think so?"

"I know so."

Hansel pondered the invitation. After a quick glance towards Gretel who gave her silent support he decided to accept. "You had us at feast."

* * *

...

...

It seems there is some interest in knocking Hansel around. I'm pretty sure I can find my way to doing that but I'll make you a deal; the more reviews, the more I'll beat on the guy. lol.


	3. Chapter 3

Hansel cracked an eye open and immediately regretted it. With a loud groan he rolled his aching body over in a desperate attempt to sleep through the pounding that was trying to break through his skull. Eight goblets of wine was never a good idea.

Gretel scrunched her face in dissatisfaction and pressed the thin pillow over her ears. Whatever time it was, it was entirely too early to partake in the day. Random flashes of the night before danced through her head.

The food had been decent and the villagers friendly enough. There didn't seem to be any unsavoury individuals amongst them. In fact the townspeople were very gracious, constantly offering more food and drink; it was probably the best welcoming the siblings had ever received and it was even more astonishing because according to the town, their services weren't required. It was late in the evening when the final drunk gave up on trying to dance in time with the fiddlers and Gretel couldn't remember just how they had left the hall. For that matter she had no idea where they were.

She bolted up in bed; her heart pounding loudly in her chest. Frantically searching the rather spacious room, her eyes locked on Hansel who was sleeping sideways in a bed of his own. A sigh of relief escaped her, knowing that her brother was there and in more or less decent condition. His dishevelled appearance suggested he might have had too much fun last night. A soft snore brought her attention to the other side of the room. She had to roll her eyes at the sight of Ben half hanging off the side of his bed, drooling into the pillow.

The calm that was settling over Gretel shrivelled away as she realized not only did she not remember leaving the hall, she had no idea who brought all their gear to the room and more importantly who removed their travel garments. "Hansel, get up!"

The witch hunter jerked awake as a pillow smacked him in the head. "I'm awake," he mumbled trying to blink the burry room into focus.

"We have a problem."

"I'll do it later," he yawned letting his eyelids droop closed and curling back into the blankets.

A soft knock reverberated through the room and the brass door handle creaked as it began to turn. Gretel quickly looked around for anything she could use as a weapon; her own were in her satchel on the chair by the door. A young girl appeared at the entrance, tray and kettle in hand. "Morning ma'am."

"Good morning?" returned Gretel, suspicion written all over her face.

"I brought breakfast for you, courtesy of the town council and inn keeper," announced the girl as she placed the tray on the small table.

Gretel replied, "Thank-you." The girl smiled and disappeared as quickly as she appeared.

"Did I hear something about breakfast?" asked Hansel, now wide awake and stumbling towards the table.

"That's what you'll get out of bed for?"

Hansel shrugged and stuffed a chunk of jam covered bread into his mouth. Gretel crawled out of bed and stretched. Making her way over to the table she stopped to tap Ben on the foot. "Get up Ben, we have breakfast."

"Hey, he can get his own food!" protested Hansel.

Gretel smirk at her brother then reached over and relieved him of the muffin he had buttered. Making sure his attention was focused on the delightful bounty laid out on the table, Gretel hastily grabbed her satchel. She tingled with relief as her fingers wrapped around Muriel's wand; it hadn't been found by one of the villagers or worse yet, by Hansel.

"Is that fresh bread I smell?" asked Ben ecstatically. Wiping the drool off of his chin, he bounced over to the table.

"No!" Hansel protested pocketing another roll for later.

"Yes it is," corrected Gretel. She took the chair next to her brother. "The villagers were kind enough to provide it, just like they were kind enough to put us up here and put us into bed. It's a little suspicious considering there are no witches and therefore our services are not needed."

"Maybe it's my cheerful personality," snorted Hansel.

Ben interjected, "or maybe the town's just friendly."

Raising a finger to emphasize his point, Hansel said, "no one is ever friendly unless they need you for something."

Seeing that the conversation was going to go down a long and dark road that neither she nor Hansel wanted to rehash, she tried to redirect. "What are we going to do about our possible witch situation?"

"We should probably check out the area with the most sightings. Where did your articles say that was Ben?" Hansel looked pointedly at Ben.

"There are no witches in Sage. The village founders ran them out many years ago," replied Ben dutifully.

The siblings both quirked an eyebrow at the atypical response from their usually over eager companion. The answer sounded eerily familiar but out of place coming from Ben. It was the same thing Andrea had told them and the same response from the villagers they spoke to last night. Trying to dispel that feeling of apprehension that was building, Gretel asked, "So all those reports you found… they're all lies?"

"There are no witches in Sage. The village founders ran them out many years ago," Ben assured the pair.

"Well if that's not proof of magic in this town, I don't know what is," said Gretel. "What do you think Hansel, spell or cursed object?"

Hansel began rummaging through the room looking for anything that seemed out of place. "Check your bag Gretel and see if anyone put anything in there." Turning to Ben he continued, "Did anyone give you anything last night?"

"No, just the food and drink that was offered to everyone." He watched them search the room and all of their supplies with a mild interest.

"I think we should search the forest. That will get Ben out of here," suggested Gretel after coming up empty for any peculiar foreign objects. "If it was something in the food or drink, it will wear off soon and if it's a spell then it won't. Either way we'll have a better idea what we need to rummage around the town for. It beats searching blind and raising suspicion. I get the feeling we might be safer outside the town with Edward."

* * *

Hansel stepped out into the main street, his gear in hand. The sun was entirely too bright and his headache hadn't gone away, even after the filling breakfast they had, or rather he had. They couldn't let Ben have anymore because it might be bewitched and Gretel had lost her appetite. Since witches' magic didn't work on him, Hansel was hard pressed to let such delights go to waste.

"And where are you off to so early in the morning?" cheered a man that Hansel could remember having a long discussion about ale with, but for the life of him could not remember the man's name.

"Witch hunting only works if we go out and hunt for witches."

"There are no witches in Sage. The …" started the man.

"Yeah, yeah, the village founders ran them out many years ago. I know, I heard. Since there are none here, my sister and I decided to seek work elsewhere. Maybe we'll have luck in the next town." He tightened his grip on the gun handle and waited to see if there would be any protest to their departure.

"I wish you a safe journey, my friend." The man tipped his hat and continued on his way.

As the man's whistling faded into the distance, Gretel and Ben stepped out of the inn. "Problem?" she asked.

Hansel shook his head. They headed down the street and started their trek up the ridge and back to Edward.

* * *

"How was your night Edward?" asked Gretel as she sat down next to the troll.

He simply shrugged his indifference and continued to poke at the fire. "Was quiet."

"Well that's good."

Edward shook his head. Gretel cocked her head to the side trying to figure out the puzzle that was Edward. Sensing her confusion over the matter he elaborated, "Always some sounds in the forest; animals, bugs moving around. Here there is nothing. Too quiet."

The feeling of apprehension that had started to take root in the town had now sprouted. It appeared things were amiss in the forest as well as with the townspeople. The potential scope of this job was ever increasing.

Hansel's timer started to buzz and he flopped down on a log beside the fire. After resetting his alarm he pulled out his syringe and vile and followed through on his routine. Gretel waited until he was done and had a moment for the injection to work. "Where's Ben?"

He half heartedly wave his hand pointing away from camp. "Filling up the water skins."

The fireside banter came to an abrupt halt as an ear piercing screech cut through the tranquil woods. Before Hansel could even pull a weapon he found himself face first in the dirt with a squirming pressure on his back. He could hear the witch snarling as it clawed at his back. He let out a hiss as the razor sharp claws sliced through his shoulder.

Gretel and Edward shot to their feet as the green and brown flash slammed into Hansel. It looked towards the troll and woman and let out another screech. Her brown gnarled skin and moss hair blended into the forest back drop.

Gretel fumbled to pick up her cross bow when she heard Hansel cry out. Edward took an intimidating step towards the witch. Seeing the troll closing in, the witch leapt off of the downed hunter with a grace reminiscing of a soaring bird and laid Edward out. Maintaining her momentum, she tumbled towards Gretel. The witch hunter brought her weapon to bear a fraction of a second too late to stop the fist that connected with her jaw. The force of the blow toppled her to the ground.

Ignoring the burning in his shoulder, Hansel scrambled to his feet. Bringing himself up right put him directly in the path of the witch's kick. Pain erupted in his skull and the world teetered back and forth. He shook his head to try and get the two and a half witches he was seeing to merge back into one. Hansel pulled his knife from his boot and waited until the witch closed in again. He didn't have to wait long; baring her sharp claws, she charged towards him. Finding his opening, he slammed the knife into her jugular. It might not kill the witch but it would hopefully slow her down.

Gretel fired an arrow into the witches back while her attention was focused on Hansel. The decayed being offered another howl while desperately slashing at the area around her. Hansel was just about to go in for the death blow when the witch's cries were answered with several screeches somewhere out in the forest.

Gretel and Hansel froze as they tried to pinpoint the direction of the sound. It sounded like five different calls echoing through the trees. The witch grabbed a hold of Hansel and threw him into his sister. They both crumpled to the ground in a tangle of limbs. The witch disappeared in a flash before the siblings could right themselves.

"Are you alright?" asked Hansel as he untangled himself. Gretel nodded. "That looked like a witch to me. Did it look like a witch to you?"

"There are definitely witches in Sage," agreed his sister. "Edward, go and make sure Ben is OK please." The troll grunted in agreement and set off towards the creek. Gretel marched over to their cart and began pulling out some cloth for bandages.

Gretel pointed to Hansel's shoulder that was bleeding freely. "Let me look at that." The blood was running down his arm and slowly dripping off of the tips of his fingers. He grunted as she pressed down to stop the blood flow. The wound wasn't deep and it didn't take long to clean and dress.

"What are we going to do now Hansel?"

"I say we make our way to the main road and catch ourselves a witch. I owe that bitch one."


	4. Chapter 4

"Why do I have to be the bait?" asked Ben. His eyes darted around the eerie landscape taking in all the nooks and crannies for creatures to hide in. The forest was dense and the road windy. It was easy to lose sight of the person a couple feet ahead of you.

"Because, we took a vote, and you lost," Hansel explained as he pulled the cover over the cart. The witches had been attacking travellers along the road and if Ben looked like a helpless farm boy pulling a heavy load he might make an appealing target. Gretel and Edward already had positions in the forest and were prepared to follow Ben while keeping out of sight.

"I don't remember their being a vote." Ben tried to keep his fear out of his voice. It was one thing to go up against a witch when you were armed, it was another to be dangled out their like a worm on a hook.

Hansel smiled. "Relax. We'll be right behind you. Besides, you're the one that doesn't believe there are witches in Sage."

"There are no witches in…"

The older man put up a hand to forestall the automated response. "Just… don't!" Hansel glared at Ben to make sure he wasn't going to continue. After a moment of silence Hansel readjusted the gun on his back and made his way out of sight.

Ben tapped his foot to calm his nerves. He trusted the siblings to have his back, and he did want to be a part of this life. Stealing himself for the task ahead, he put one foot in front of the other and started down the road.

The sun was just about to kiss the mountains in the west and a chill had settled in the air. The young hunter rounded another bend and stopped. There standing in the middle of the road was a cloaked figure. The face was obscured by their hood.

"H-hello," he called hesitantly.

The stranger raised their head; sparkling hazel eyes peered through the shadows of the hood. She had all the appeal of a porcelain doll and a charming coy smile. Her golden curls peaked out from the exquisite green velvet cloak. "Hello," she replied; her voice as delicate as she was. "I didn't think I would happen upon anyone this way."

Ben let out a nervous chuckle and released his grip on the cart. He desperately hoped that Hansel and Gretel were at the ready, should this turn bad, but someone that beautiful surely couldn't be evil. It would be a cruel blow to the angels above for this creature to serve the darkness. "Ar-are you travelling a-alone miss?"

The woman chuckled at the slight blush that was burning the young man's ears. "I am."

"These woods are rather dangerous. You should give some thought to having an escort… to see to your safety that is."

The fair maiden took several steps closer. "Are you a strong protector that could see me through these treacherous woods?"

"I…I…" Ben had never been so tongue tied in his life; the words failed to materialize on his lips. He inexplicably found himself leaning in closer the young woman.

An unholy howl tore through the forest and the stranger turned sharply to peer down the way she had come. "You're right, these woods are dangerous," she said as she began to move hastily away.

"Wait!" called Ben as he reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. The howl came again, this time much closer. He turned to see what creature had appeared; still the road ahead was empty. He looked back in search of where his new acquaintance had gotten to, only to find he was completely alone.

Another howl erupted but was cut off by the explosive sound of Hansel's gun discharging. Several more shots rang out and Ben quickly came to the conclusion that the witch hadn't taken the bait, rather went straight for the hunters. He pulled his rifle off the cart and took off towards the sounds of the fight.

* * *

Hansel fired another shot at the flash of green and brown that was darting through the trees. The bullet tore through the trunk of a tree instead of its intended target sending a shower of bark down onto the moss carpet. Gretel was currently engaged in fighting a witch of her own and he was relieved that Edward had made his way over to help her. These witches were very fast and nimble.

Hansel managed to duck as a clawed hand came towards his head. He wasn't so lucky to escape the foot that slammed into his stomach. He doubled over with a slight moan. The witch was so close he could feel her breath on his cheek. With a fist to the face, Hansel knocked the witch back.

She flipped back to her feet and crouched down ready to attack. Her eyes crinkled in hate as she bared her sharp teeth. The gnarled brown skin of the tree witch shifted and flexed as her muscles tighten ready to pounce.

Gretel had her witch in her sights. Her finger coiled around the trigger on her crossbow. Just before the arrow cleared the bow she was pushed to the side sending the arrow wide; it missed the mark and thudded into a tree. She let out a huff of frustration and turned viciously towards Edward. Gretel's rage died as she realized the troll had pushed her out of the way of another witch. He almost had a firm grasp on the squirming creature when a second one jumped out from the bushes and began clawing at Edward's back.

Gretel slammed her weapon down on the witches head. It dropped to the ground momentarily stunned and the witch hunter took her shot. She turned to see how her brother was fairing and her stomach did a flip. Too far away to be of any help, she watched as the witch lunged towards Hansel and sent them both rolling over the edge of the ravine. "Hansel!"

The hit knocked the wind out of Hansel. Very quickly he found himself tumbling down the steep incline with the witch's craws firmly embedded into his arms. Faster and faster his body slammed into the soft earth and he tried desperately to get a hand hold on something. The witch's claws retracted and her weight pulled away from the hunter as she dug her claws into the soil. Gripping the side of the hill she smiled as Hansel continued his decent.

The soft ground gave way to jagged rock. The discomfort lasted mere seconds as Hansel soon found himself dropping straight down into a large pond. He plummeted into the frigid waters and sank like a stone. Panic gripped him and he frantically clawed for the surface. His lungs burned and his head began to swim but he stated to rise. He broke the surface and flailed helplessly sucking in a lungful of air. "H-elp! Gretel!" he sputtered in between mouthfuls of water.

A hand came within reach and Hansel damn near pulled the poor soul in with him. He trembled with fear and exhaustion, but his saviour managed to pull him ashore. Hansel clung to the rocks for everything he was worth. Once he got his breathing under control he wiped the water from his eyes. "Ben?"

The younger man gave Hansel a nod but didn't say anything about how desperate his idol had been. Hansel appreciated the discretion. Being a professional witch hunter promised many opportunities for an unpleasant death but drowning truly sent fear through Hansel. Not to mention that it wasn't the most glamorous or heroic way to go. "Thanks."

The sounds of the battle continuing above them got Hansel to his feet. "Come on, we've got some witches to take out."

* * *

Edward was wrestling with two of the wiry witches leaving Gretel with the one that took out Hansel. She wanted to go after her brother, to make sure he was alright but they had long ago learned they had to take out the immediate threat before seeing to the other. They had many bad experiences where sentiment had won out and it almost cost them their lives. A smile graced her lips as she heard the squish of the troll stomping out one of his advisories.

Gretel let an arrow fly and when the witch dodged it, the hunter was ready with a swift elbow to the head. The witch stumbled and as she went down her claws hooked onto Gretel's pocket. The fabric ripped under the stress and Muriel's wand dropped to the ground. They both froze at the sight of the wand out in the open. The witch grinned and Gretel felt a flutter of panic in her stomach. They dove for the wand. Gretel didn't even flinch as a rifle discharged and the witch dropped to the ground writhing in pain.

Ben moved swiftly towards the creature and knocked it out. He began to restrain the witch to interrogate later. Gretel paid him no heed, just clutched the wand to her chest like it was a precious treasure. When she final came back to herself, Hansel was standing a few feet away; all the color had drained out of him. She opened her mouth to say something, anything that might ease the look of utter betrayal that her brother wore. He didn't even give her a chance to tell her side of the story. Hansel silently walked away looking absolutely crushed.


	5. Chapter 5

Hansel pulled his coat around himself tightly. The sun was almost down and the ancient forest had grown quite cold, though the sudden chill that had gripped him could have been the result of what he had seen. The image of Gretel clutching that wand like a life line was permanently seared into his brain. It would haunt him to the day he died.

He had tried so hard to protect his sister from the world; to make up for the fact that the people who were supposed to shield them from the big bad world had abandoned them. At least that fact had been true until they met Muriel. Of all the scenarios that had run through Hansel's mind, all the reasons their parents would leave them alone, that particular idea had never crossed his mind.

Witches were bad, witches should be burned, witches were evil; his mother had been a witch. A lifetime of hunting and the cold hard truth was he had been hunting his own kind. Mina had promised there were good witches; Muriel had even implied that their mother was not like her. But what was a good witch? The answer use to be 'a dead witch,' but now it seemed more like a good witch was a witch that had yet to go bad. He had seen the power Mina had possessed and when backed into a corner she used it. Who's to say she wouldn't have used it against him if she felt threatened enough?

There was the burn; witches' powers didn't work on them. Witches can't hurt their own. It had been a constant slap in the face and only now could they realize it. A lifetime spent trying to rid the world of those monsters and their goal would only be achieved if someone hunted them down too. To make it all worse, there was Gretel with a dark witch's tool. If it hadn't been his sister, he would have been the first person championing to burn her.

Hansel kicked a pebble off the road with all his might; it did nothing to cease his rage. The world had been so simple a couple of months ago, but that revelation had muddied everything. Witchcraft had stolen their parents, claimed the life of the one person besides Gretel he thought he felt a connection to, and now it was going to twist his sister until there was nothing left of that young girl he swore he would protect.

Hansel came to the edge of the ridge before Sage. The soft glow from the homes looked inviting. He couldn't bring himself to go down there, couldn't bear the thought of seeing Gretel yet. She would be alright; Ben would stay with her if they returned to the town and if they camped on the outskirts, she would have Edward as well. The witch hunter wanted to be on his own for awhile. Hansel pulled his coat a little tighter and walked away from town.

* * *

Part of Gretel cringed as Ben called out for Hansel, but she knew he wasn't going to stop, wasn't going to come back to her. She fought back the tears that tried to slip free. With all the appearance of a confident witch hunter, she picked herself off the ground and tucked the wand away. Despite what it could cost her she couldn't bring herself to part with it.

"Where's he going?" asked Ben.

Gretel was kind of grateful that the younger man's inexperience and youth handicapped him from observing everything around him. Ben had been so thrilled to capture a witch that the only thing that caught his attention was Hansel wandering off. "He'll meet us back in town. Is she secure?" Gretel pointed to the bound form on the ground.

Ben beamed and puffed his chest out a little. "Tied up nice and tight."

"Edward, can you bring her back to the cart?" The troll nodded and sauntered over to pick up their burden. "I think we should see if the friendly town of Sage will let us store her in the local jail for the night. I don't really want to be out here after dark and have to watch a prisoner."

"You think the town's going to let us bring a witch in their midst?"

"Well, it will ruin their catchphrase, but I think we should give it a shot. Besides, if there is a witch in town, then she'll see this as an opportunity to free her friend there." Gretel stared at Ben.

Ben ran his hands over his shirt trying to alleviate his sudden discomfort of being the object of Gretel's fascination. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just waiting for you to disagree with me about there being witches in Sage."

"Why would I do that? All those reports, not to mention the one Edward is loading into the cart right now."

"Well, I'm glad that finally wore off." Gretel patted Ben's shoulder as she headed back towards the cart.

"Glad what wore off?" Ben sprinted after the witch hunter.

* * *

Edward returned to his chosen spot outside of Sage and Gretel and Ben dragged the cart behind them all the way to the main street. The reaction of the villagers was not uncommon; once they caught sight of the outsider's cargo, they fled to the safety of their homes. Despite the reaction or maybe because of it, the town council was very quick to offer a cell to the hunters with the strict warning that the evil thing be removed from their midst the following day.

With their prize locked up tight, Ben and Gretel retired to their room at the inn. Gretel was slightly disappointed that Hansel was not there waiting. She wasn't looking forward to their next conversation but his absence was keenly felt. She wasn't going to delude herself with the idea of sleep; it would never come until Hansel was safely tucked in the bed next to hers.

Gretel pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. How was she going to explain the desire, the need, to hold onto the wand? They swore they'd never speak of their mother and in the wake of Muriel's revelation, Gretel feared they never would. She couldn't help but feel some small connection to their mother when she clutched the wand. It was the same feeling that coursed through her when they found the lair under their house. It wasn't the fear and apprehension that was clearly written on Hansel's face; it was a sense of completeness, like the missing piece of her identity had clicked into place. It felt like it was meant for her hand.

The moon made its journey across the sky and Gretel's worry grew. Horrible scenarios began to play out in her mind of all the things that could happen to her brother out there alone. There could be more witches; there could be bandits. What if he was hurt? What if he had been injured in the attack? What if he suffered an attack from the sugar sickness and didn't have his injection with him; his spare vials were on the cart here in town.

The first rays of sunlight were dancing through the window, and Gretel couldn't contain her desperate need to find her brother anymore. With a practiced proficiency she dressed in her gear and marched down the stairs and through the tavern. She pulled open the front door of the inn and walked right into Hansel.

"Where the hell have you been all night Hansel? Do you know what I thought?" she vented.

Hansel just waved her off and stumbled over to the nearest table. He picked up a left over stein and took a swig. He slammed it back down on the table disappointed and tried another one. He emptied the entire glass before he turned and stomped back to Gretel.

"Hansel…" The irritation in her voice was evident.

"Don't!" he warned pointing a finger at her. Gretel closed her mouth and he headed back out the door.

She called after him, "Where are you going?"

"I have a witch to interrogate!"


	6. Chapter 6

Gretel stood silently leaning against the wall as she watched Hansel vent his anger on their captive guest. Blood started to splatter on the wall as Hansel pulled back his fist to punch the witch again. There was going to be nothing left of her face at this rate.

"The point of interrogating someone is to ask them questions," snapped Gretel.

Her brother paused briefly, his fist in the air. He shot her an angry look out of the corner of his eye before he punched the witch one last time. "Is that what it's for? I was a little confused about what we were doing here," snapped Hansel as he wiped the blood off his hand.

She'd let him get his little digs in, if it made him feel better. Gretel knew Hansel felt like she let him down. The wand called to her in whispers and hushed tones that she couldn't make out. When she gripped it in her hand, she felt like all the secrets of the world were almost in her grasp. If only she could make him see, but was at a loss to explain it herself. They certainly weren't going to have this out in front of the enemy.

Hansel picked up a small knife off the table and twirled it between his fingers. The witch spit out a glob of blood and glared at the intimidating man before her. They shared a smile; his, a promise of what was to come, and hers, a dare to do it. Gripping the handle tightly he slammed the blade deep in her shoulder. A choked gargle filled the room.

"Why are you taking people from the roads near Sage?" demanded Hansel.

The witch merely cocked her head and spit a mouthful of blood at her tormentor.

His face contorted with anger and Hansel twisted the knife ever so slowly. "Tell me now!"

A screech filled the room and Gretel had to cover her ears. Hansel held his position, his face mere inches from the witch. The tree witch shifted her gaze from Hansel to his sister; an evil smile carving its way across her face. The want and desire radiating off of her was palpable.

It felt like being stabbed in the gut with an icicle. His heart started to pound and his breathing picked up. He knew that look; the witch's intent was clear. Hansel wasn't surprised, if one tried to exploit his sister for their dark purposes why not another?

"Grand white witches," the witch hissed, "are a rarity in this day and age; such special creatures, with unlimited potential."

Gretel flinched at the thud as the witch's head hit the floor and rolled away. Hansel stood there panting from the effort for a moment before he threw the machete he had snatched up back on the table. He never said a word to ease his sister's concern, just picked up the head and chucked it into the wood burning stove.

Gretel stormed over to her brother, getting very much in his personal space. She knew he could be irrational and misdirect his anger but he never did anything to hinder their work before. "What the hell did you do that for? She could have told us more!"

"She told me everything I needed to know," Hansel snapped. His rage continued on as he brutally shoved his gear into his satchel.

"What are you doing?"

"We're leaving."

That caught Gretel's attention. "The job's not finished yet," she protested.

"I say it is!" The tension in the room was thick and the siblings were locked in a staring contest. Neither one was willing to back down first. Gretel couldn't leave knowing the witches would strike again and innocent people would suffer. There was a time when Hansel would have felt the same but something had changed; Gretel couldn't bear the thought that she was the cause. They couldn't run from their past and she knew that all that hurt and betrayal that had been plainly written on his face in the forest was fuelling his hasty decision now.

Hansel couldn't let her stay where she would be a target. It was bad enough that he couldn't save her from their blood line but he wasn't going to let the evils of the world get a free shot. Strangers didn't matter, his sister did. He had been busy licking his own wounds and recent loss that he had missed the signs of Gretel slipping off the path. There was no room for failure in their business and he hadn't been measuring up lately. Running was cowardly, but if it kept Gretel safe, he would do anything.

Their standoff was interrupted by the shocked gasp of Andrea as she took in the truly disturbing sight before her. Unable to peel her eyes off of the decapitated corpse slumped in the chair, she asked, "What's going on here? I was told you found a witch."

Silently promising that the 'argument' was not over, Hansel turned to the councilmember. "You have yourself a witch problem in Sage and before you say it, there's a witch right there." He paused as Andrea gagged at the sight; it had long lost its impact on the hunters. A little calmer he continued, "I'm willing to bet their leader's here in town and she's poisoning the well."

"W-what... h-how it that even...it can't be," Andrea sputtered.

"Grand witches have the ability to hide their true face. They can look just like you and me," informed Gretel.

Hansel added, "She's using a potion to make you all believe that there are no witches in town. Our associate was under its influence until recently; so if you stop drinking from the well it should wear off." Gretel was a little relieved; he still had his head in the game.

Andrea dropped into the nearest chair boneless. Her disbelief was evident but there was a flicker of fear in her eyes. "Why the town well and how did you know? More importantly, why didn't it work on you two?"

"A witch's magic doesn't work on us," clarified Gretel.

"Why?"

"That's not important," insisted Hansel. "It's the well because everyone in town uses it and there's no chance of someone not getting the potion."

"What are we going to do?" The plea was so desperate; neither sibling could turn their back on it.

"My brother and I will take care of it. It's what we do." If looks could kill, then Gretel surely would have died under Hansel's glare but he made no attempt to rescind the offer. "Tell no one about this conversation and have the villagers stay inside tonight. We'll watch the well and if anyone goes near it, they'll probably be our witch."

Andrea nodded in agreement. Salvation was right in front of her, only a fool would pass it up. "I'll have word spread in regards to curfew right away."

Once alone, Gretel summoned her courage to try and talk to Hansel again. The longer the issue festered the harder it would be to sooth his ire. "Hansel, I need you to understand..."

The hunter grabbed his gear and left without a word. The items spread out on the table rattled with the force of the door slamming in Hansel's wake. Gretel let out a huff and grabbed her bag. She entertained the thought of knocking Hansel on his ass before she decided against it and chased after him. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get the rest of our supplies, don't want to be caught unaware again."

* * *

If Ben noticed the awkward silence between the siblings he didn't say anything. He happily followed them up the road towards Edward's camping spot in the woods. Whatever they had learned from the witch, Hansel seemed more determined than ever and easily left Ben and Gretel trailing behind pulling the cart.

Edward stepped out of Hansel's way as the hunter stormed towards their stash of goods. It wasn't hard to see that getting in the man's way right now would be unwise. The troll gave Gretel a sympathetic look and she and Ben entered the small clearing.

"Anything suspicious last night Edwards," asked Gretel.

Edward nodded his head in the direction of the small creek a few feet into the bushes. "Witch moving around out there last night. You have a plan?"

Hansel growled but continued throwing their gear back in the cart. Ignoring her brother, she replied, "Yes. We're going to watch the town well and see in the grand witch reveals herself. We could probably use you tonight." Edward shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't a huge fan of people for obvious reasons. "Everyone will be inside, you don't have to worry about the villagers," she reassured.

"I need to talk to you Gretel," snaps Hansel.

She gave Edward a warm smile to calm his nerves before joining Hansel who had moved just out of sight and earshot.

"What?"

There was a frustration to her voice that told Hansel she didn't want to argue but knew he was unwilling to listen. He felt a little sick to his stomach but he made his decision. His glare softened around the edges as he looked into her eyes. He knew the exact moment she figured it out. "I'm sorry," whispered Hansel just before his fist connected solidly with the side of Gretel's head. She crumpled into his waiting arms.

He gently wiped the small trickle of blood from her forehead with his thumb and adjusted his grip so he could carry her back to the camp. Hansel knew that she'd never forgive him for this but he could live with that fact as long as she was safe.

Ben and Edward jumped to their feet as Hansel deposited Gretel on the cart. "What happened?" gasped Ben and Edward looked like he was ready to pound Hansel into the ground.

Hansel couldn't blame them. He felt some relief at their protectiveness of his greatest treasure. It made his decision easier to know that she'd have someone to look after here from now on. "They're after a grand white witch; they're after Gretel. I need you to take her away from here. Some place safe where they won't find her," Hansel instructed.

The initial fury that coiled deep in Edward abated slightly. Hansel was not the threat rather the unconventional saviour of the one person that had shown any kind of kindness to the troll. Edward nodded; a silent promise to accept the burden Hansel has placed upon them. He would have protected Gretel regardless but the fact that the witch hunter had trusted him with this, warmed a place in his heart.

"What about you?" asked Ben. The task to keep Gretel safe was a huge honor but there were still witches in Sage. He knew Hansel was good but if it was anything like the gathering for the blood moon ritual, then leaving Hansel along would be like walking him to his execution.

Hansel offered a small smile. It aimed to reassure his fellow travellers but fell just short of the mark. "Someone has to help the town. I'll meet up with you in a few days, now get going before she wakes up and kicks both your asses."

Ben shifted his weight from foot to foot as he watched Hansel head back towards town. His stomach fluttered with indecision. Hansel would need help but he knew how much the man valued his sister and couldn't have come to this decision lightly. The younger man bit his lip at the slight swell of shame as he realized that his first instinct was to protect Gretel even though he knew Edward could do the job on his own and Hansel would be alone. Dreading the possibility of having to be the one to tell Gretel that her brother is gone, possibly forever, he fell quietly in line behind the cart.


	7. Chapter 7

Hansel couldn't stop his fidgeting. He knew he had made the right choice regarding Gretel but he still wanted her at his side in a fight. They always had each other's backs; it was a safety net he had apparently always taken for granted. The night had so far been uneventful. The villagers had respected the council's curfew and all retired to the safety of their homes before sunset. Andrea had offered the witch hunter the use of her home for surveillance of the well. The front window of the modest home had an un-obstructive view of the town well as well as the five access points to the square.

Andrea had been very hospitable, offering him tea to warm his bones on that chilly night and pretending not to notice as Hansel's timer went off and he fumbled with his syringe. She even ignored his shortness when he snapped at her for questioning him about his sister's whereabouts.

He was almost going to call the night a waste of time when a cloaked figure scuttled out of the shadows. The low lying fog that had settled above the stone street slithered out of the witch's way. Hansel watched the young girl, almost mesmerized by her beauty. Her golden locks sparkled in the moon light and her velvet green cape enhanced her delicate features.

"So that's a witch?" asked Andrea as she leaned over Hansel's shoulder to get a better look at the intruder to her peaceful town.

He gripped his gun tighter and moved to the door. As silently as possible, he slipped out into the night and took aim. It was the click of the door shutting a second time as Andrea stepped out that grabbed the witch's attention. She twisted sharply, wand in hand and aimed it at Hansel. A golden ball of energy hurled towards the witch hunter and passed through him harmlessly. His finger coiled around the trigger of his gun and he was about to take the shot when Andrea's house exploded behind him. The force of the explosion knocked him to the ground, his face colliding painfully with the stone. He pulled himself to his feet, ignoring the agonized protests of his body and searched the square for any sign of his target.

Andrea hissed as she pulled her leg out from the rubble of her former home. Her struggle caught Hansel's attention and he moved quickly to help. The square was quickly filling with people awaken from their peaceful sleep by the ruckus.

"Are you alright?" The witch hunter asked, as he helped Andrea to her feet. After getting conformation he took off darting around the townspeople. His foe was fleeing through the crowd and if he fell behind he would lose her.

Hansel's lungs burned as he ran through the maze of paths and streets. The witch's green cloak flapping behind her was the only glimpse he got of his adversary. She definitely knew the town, but so far had been unsuccessful at shaking her tail. Hansel pushed himself harder as they began to near the edge of the town. He would lose any advantage he had if he had to track her into the forest at night. There was also a chance that she had friends lurking in the dark foreboding woods.

The witch turned and threw another blue orb at Hansel. She shot wide and even if it would have had any effect on the hunter it would have missed him by a few feet. He abruptly came to the conclusion that her aim wasn't as far off as he thought; one of the town statues had felt the effects of the blue orb and toppled to the ground on top of Hansel.

The young man grunted as he was pinned to the ground by the heavy stone carving. Devine intervention had struck and he found himself trapped under the object more than crushed by it. It took some wiggling but he was able to pull himself out from underneath. Hansel's only real struggle came when he had to pry his leg out; it didn't appear to be broken but throbbed painfully.

Hansel looked down several of the streets but found no sight of his target. "Damn it!" he cursed in frustration. All elements of surprise now were lost now. The only hope of victory would be to go on the offensive tomorrow and prey that he found the witch's lair before she had a chance to organize her friends. Growling in frustration, he limped back to the town square to assess the damage done.

"Are you alright?" gasped Andrea as she noticed Hansel's slight stumble.

Hansel waved her off and sat himself down on the edge of the water trough in front of the tavern. The commotion in the square was dying down and the town council was doing a good job of getting the panicking villagers to go back to their homes. Keeping people calm once the spell wore off was going to be a challenge.

The young hunter flinched at the tight grip on his elbow. "Let me help you," soothed Andrea as she pulled him to his feet. Her gentle eyes and concerned look softened his resolve and he followed her into the tavern. After seating the battered outsider down next to the counter, Andrea disappeared in the back to fetch a cloth and some water.

"Will she be back tonight?" Andrea asked. She set her supplies on the bar counter and dipped the cloth in the bowl of water. Hansel hissed as she wiped at the blood running down the side of his face. She tried to be gentle but the rapidly swelling eye was going to be tender no matter what.

"She won't come back tonight. Did you get a good look at her; see which of the townspeople it was?"

"I've never seen her before. What are you going to do now?" She rinsed out the cloth in the bowl and gestured for Hansel to raise his pant leg.

Hansel kept his eyes on Andrea; watching her every move as she tended to his wounds. He liked Mina; he might even dare say he had fallen for her, but in the end, intentions aside, he couldn't trust her. He wasn't about to fall victim to a pair of pretty eyes again. "I'll try and pick up the trail tomorrow. She's somewhere in the woods. I'll find her and kill her."

"Isn't that dangerous… going out there alone?" Andrea pulled his pant leg down over the painfully bruised knee. She moved around the counter in search of something to help numb the pain. Alcohol would only bring temporary relief but it was better than nothing.

He assured, "I know what I'm doing. I can take care of her and any friends she has. She's not going to get one up on me."

"I should hope not. That would ruin my plans." The cast-iron pot clanged as it connected with Hansel's skull. The force of the blow knocked him off the chair and he crashed to the ground. His vision swam in and out and everything was wildly out of focus. Just before his eyes rolled in the back of his head, he prayed that Gretel would be kept safe.

Andrea let out a pleased sigh as she loomed over the sprawled out hunter before her. She quickly checked the back exit to make sure the coast was clear before scooping up Hansel's limp body with unnatural strength. She slipped out into the night and disappeared amongst the mighty oak.


	8. Chapter 8

The gentle sway of the cart along the well worn trail brought Gretel back to the world. She stared at the pinks and oranges splashed across the sky while she tried to put together her thoughts. The joyful songs of the birds indicated that morning was well under way. Gretel shot up and she had to brace herself against the cart to stop the world from spinning.

"That son of a bitch hit me!" she cursed. She lurched forward as the cart came to a stop.

"You're awake!" cheered Ben as he came bounding over.

Gretel bit back her retort about stating the obvious and asked, "Where's Hansel? I'm going to kill him!"

Ben shifted his gaze to avoid Gretel. He had gone along with the other hunter's plan but it was quite another thing to tell Gretel they had left him behind, no matter the reason. She got that sinking feeling and looked around frantically for her brother. "Ben?"

The boy shifted nervously but held his tongue. Her heart started to beat faster and she gasped for air. She turned to the troll, her eyes begging for answers. "Edward, where's my brother?"

"He stayed in Sage to fight the witch last night." Not being able to stand the heartbreak on Gretel's face, he placed a large comforting hand on her shoulder.

Gretel took a deep breath to get her emotions under control. She didn't need Hansel's protection, though it was one of his traits that she loved. Her concern won out over the anger he would face the second she found him safe and sound, and the sadness at the fact that he no longer trusted her to have his back and hold her own. "We have to go back."

"But Hansel wanted us to take you to the next town. He said the witches were after you again," protested Ben. He couldn't let her walk into a trap; they had fought so hard to save her from Muriel, they might not be able to do it again.

"And leaving him alone was the better option? If they want me, they'll come for me where ever I am. No, I'm going back to help that stubborn ass, with or without your help." She climbed off of the cart and grabbed her crossbow. Her fury pushed her back the way they had come, not waiting to see who would follow but hoping they both would.

Edward shrugged his shoulder and turned the cart around. Not wanting to be left out, even if he was going to hear about it from Hansel, Ben followed behind.

* * *

The destruction from the fight last night still lay scattered across the square. It was nowhere near the destruction that had befallen Augsburg but the villagers were still shaken. Whispers of witches drifted up and down the street and at the very least, Gretel knew the townspeople were free of the spell. She ran into the inn and up to their room. Fear rose up like bile and she swallowed hard to put it back where it belonged. Just because the room was empty didn't mean Hansel wasn't alright.

She flew down the stairs and through the tavern as fast as her feet could carry her. Once outside she turned towards Ben and Edward. "Any sign of him?"

They both shook their heads. The only thing they had seen were the cautious looks being directed at the troll. Ben gripped his gun tighter; he hoped they wouldn't have to fight these people to protect one of their own, no matter how unconventional a team member he might be.

Gretel received the same answer from every person she stopped. No one had seen her brother since last night. The world began to spin as her panic increased and she blindly reached out to grab a hold of anything that could steady her; what she wouldn't have given for that to be Hansel's reassuring hand right now.

She melted into Ben's strong embrace as he warped his arms around the trembling woman. She buried her face in his neck and clinged to him for everything she was worth. Sure they had been separated before, but this was different. It was her fault that Hansel was out there on his own. Worse yet, his head wasn't in the game; he had been so worked up over her that he forgot they were better together than apart. What if she never saw him again?

"It's going to be alright," reassured Ben as he guided Gretel towards the steps of the inn. "One of the councilmen said he saw Hansel after the witch left. Andrea took him back to the inn to tend to his leg. If they're not there, they couldn't have gotten far. We'll find him."

It wasn't the greatest lead but it was more than she had before. Pushing her issues aside, she focused on her singular goal: find Hansel. The fight was back in her voice, "Where's Andrea?"

"No one's seen her since last night either."

Two people don't just disappear into the night; there had to be some clue as to what happened. Gretel got to her feet and stormed into the inn. It didn't look like there had been a fight; everything was pretty much where it should have been. There was an open bottle and cup sitting on the counter beside a pot. It was an odd combination and Gretel followed her gut and decided to investigate.

Her old worn boot stuck to the floor near the counter and that nauseous feeling threatened to reappear. Gretel lowered her head with a shaky breath and her boot came away with a squelch. The coagulated puddle taunted her; a very real reminder of everything she stood to lose and everything that damn wand threatened to take away. Still she had the wand tucked away with her gear, separation impossible. A selfish prayer begging the deities above for the blood to belong to anyone else escaped Gretel's lips.

The witch hunter kneeled down and ran her hand over the grooved floorboard, desperately trying to soak up some connection of her brother. She clinched her eyes shut as images of Hansel bleeding and broken wormed their way into her consciousness. Was he still alive? If not, did he suffer? Were his last moments spent reaching out for his sister who by rights should have been there but had been sent away under the delusion of protection? It was a fear she hadn't felt since their father left them in the cold dark woods that fateful night.

It all became too much to be in the tavern with no answers and too many possibilities. Gretel fled to the back door. She barely made it outside before she doubled over and spilled the contents of her stomach along the dirt path. When she finally got her heaving under control she sat down on the step and leaned her head against the railing. She needed to get it together, this wasn't going to help her brother.

Her eyes wandered over the ever expansive forest that lay before her. It made her feel small not unlike the hope she held out for a happy ending from this disaster. Grief clouded her senses and she almost missed the small grooves in the dirt path before her. Some had dragged something, no someone, out the back and towards the forest.

Without conscious thought Gretel followed the trail. Further and further she stumbled, never taking her eyes off of the only lead she had as to where he brother could be. She emerged from the bushes into an open meadow and nothing; the trail disappeared. Gretel circled the meadow, searching for any sign of the trail.

"There you are," called Ben as he slipped past the trees to join his companion.

Gretel rubbed her hands up and down her arms to try and warm them. The world that had been so bright when she entered the woods had grown dark and cold. All day searching for some sign, a direction to continue in and there was nothing.

"He was here Ben. Our witch dragged Hansel out here." The pair stared at the massive amount of ground they would have to search. "I'm going to find them and then I'm going to kill her."


	9. Chapter 9

A groan filled the room and Hansel tried to swallow but his mouth was painfully dry. The pounding in his head was unrelenting and his back ached from lying on the cold hard floor. He took a moment to promise himself to stop drinking that much in the future; the hangover wasn't worth it. Knowing he was going to have to deal with the day eventually, he tried to open his eyes. The sticky dry substance on his eyelid pulled at the skin but kept it firmly shut. He moved his hand up to rub the sleep out of his eyes but came up short. Hansel tugged harder but the metal ring around his wrist held firmly.

Taking a deep breath he forced his eyes open; there was nothing but darkness and the returning memories of the night before. Andrea had done this. Was she in league with the witch? Two grand witches working together would be a first, but really something he should have considered. Now he was going to pay for his stupidity. Thankfully Gretel wasn't in town; if Ben and Edward had done their job, she'd be at least the next town over and moving further away from this mess.

Squirming around proved that his feet were bound like his hands. His shirt was gone and the stone sucked all the warmth from his body. Nimble fingers probed and explored everything within their reach. It wasn't the cold floor Hansel had been deposited on, rather a stone table. That revelation accompanied the foreboding thoughts of being the next meal. The surface was flat and smooth and a small trench ran along the edge of the table producing a narrow dip before the lip of the table. His inadequate investigation ended as the candles adorning the room spontaneously ignited, lighting the darkened cavern.

One by one the candles sputtered to life giving dimension to the desolate cave the witch hunter found himself helplessly restrained in. The black stone glistened with slime that weaved its way along the cracks in the rock. The fire in the fireplace roared up and the flames licked the black cauldron hanging over it. Hansel closed his eyes as the sudden shift in brightness burned his eyes.

"Well, look who finally decided to join the land of the living. I was beginning to think I hit you too hard," said Andrea as she walked into the room. He black dress flowed behind her like shadows in the night. Barely paying her captive any attention she walked straight to the cauldron and stirred the contents.

Hansel twisted his head to get a better look at the witch. She still looked like the beautiful woman that had offered to tend to his injuries not that long ago. Again he tried to pull at the chains that bound him to the table but they didn't budge.

Andrea muttered, "Almost ready." Hansel glared at her as she bustled around the room. She approached the bound man and set a small bowl of water on the stone altar. With a tenderness not thought possible from a bride of Satan, she began to clean the wound on the side of his head. Hansel watched as the water turned a pale shade of red from the blood that had dried around his eye.

"You know, I'm kind of disappointed," She began as she continued her ministrations, "after everything I heard about the famous witch hunters, I expected this to be more of a challenge."

Hansel's lips pressed in a thin line and his glare hardened. "You may have been able to get me, but you'll never be able to get to Gretel now," he spat.

"Gretel?" Andrea's lips parted in an evil smile, displaying her teeth like the fangs of a hungry wolf. "What would I want with her?"

Hansel's mask slipped for a moment. Alarm flickered in his pale eyes; it wasn't fear for himself so much as fear that he had inadvertently given the witch what she wanted. Gretel was the one Muriel has sot after; the child of a grand white witch. It was Gretel that took after their mother, kind and caring, with a penchant for magic. It was his sister that insisted that they be sure a woman was a witch before the town got their hands on them. It was her that lied and carried that damn wand around; what could they possibly want from him?

"I could wait another ten years and cut out her heart or I could use what's right in front of me. They all over looked the fact that you are the bastard off spring of a grand white witch too; fortunately, I know what to do with that." Andrea punctuated her point by digging her finger nail into the gash above Hansel's eye.

He sucked back a gasp and bit his lip hard at the sharp pain in his head. Hansel tried to pull his head away but he didn't have the freedom to escape her. His struggle only caused her to press harder. Andrea pulled her finger back and steady stream of warm blood ran down the side of his head.

The witch sucked the blood off of her finger. Hansel couldn't help but notice the way it stained her teeth pink. Andrea leaned in close and her warm breath caused his hair to prickle. "If handled correctly, you're an unlimited supply of power. It's in your blood." She ran her boney fingers over his bare chest stopping just above his heart. "As long as this keeps beating, I'll have everything I want."

"I haven't lost to a hag yet and you're not going to be the first," snapped Hansel. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of his fear. He always knew it would end bloody but his consolation was the fact that his sister was safe. She was safe from Andrea and she would be spared watching his end; that's what he would hold onto until the end.

"I don't want you to lose, I want you to bleed!" shrieked Andrea as she sliced at his chest with a curved dagger. She moved with the precision and skill of a butcher as she carved up her prey.

Hansel let out a pained moan as she sliced her way down his chest and across his stomach. Bright red ribbons of blood bloomed up and ran down towards the table. The cuts were deep enough to bleed for awhile but not deep enough to be life threatening. The silent cave filled with the steady splattering of his blood as it ran onto the altar, filled the narrow channel, and pooled at the bottom of the table where it dripped into a bowl below.

Someone cleared their throat just out of Hansel's line of vision and Andrea causally waved them away. Turning her attention back to her prize, she said, "We'll continue this later my dear boy. In the mean time, relax and enjoy yourself. You're going to be here for quite some time." With that she turned and left the cavern; the candles snuffing out with her departure. Hansel was left alone in the dark with nothing but the pounding of his heart and the pitter-patter of his essence running out of him.


	10. Chapter 10

Andrea moved from the cavern where she was holding Hansel. She practically floated over the rocky floor of the winding tunnels keeping in step with Katja until they entered the next room in the coven's lair. "What is it now?" she snapped.

Katja flinched at the venom in Andrea's voice. The grand witch had a well earned reputation and the thought of gracing her bad books sent even the most harden devil cowering in the corner. "The other witch hunters have returned to the town." Katja swallowed the lump in her throat down. "They're looking for you and that one." She raised a trembling finger towards the room they just exited.

Anger flashed over Andrea's features briefly to be replaced by a devilish grin. "Let's not disappoint them then."

Katja watched with an odd fascination as Andrea pulled her knife from her pocket and began to make little cuts in her arms and legs; taking care to wipe as much blood on her clothes as possible when she was finished. "Stay here and watch him. I'm going to go and kill two birds with one stone," commanded Andrea as she marched out of the cave and straight back to Sage.

* * *

Gretel pulled a water skin out of her bag and took a drink. They had spent all day searching the forest and found no trace of Hansel. She tried not to let the day's disappointment crush what little hope she had; there was still so much ground to cover and there had to be some sign somewhere.

"Late, we should go back to the village," suggested Edward as he made his way over to the fallen tree Gretel had sat down on. They had all been pushing themselves so hard to find Hansel.

She looked at the low position of the sun; the last rays of light were still cascading down into the valley. "There's still time, we could just check over that ridge there and..."

The troll shook his head. "Dark before we get back to Sage. Too dangerous to stay." He didn't have to words to offer the comfort and support that seemed so easy for humans to convey, but what his speech couldn't get across his soft brown eyes could. Getting themselves killed wouldn't help Hansel and Edward wasn't going to break his promise to keep her safe, as much as he wanted the other hunter with them.

"He's out there all alone Edward." They had spent a life time hating their parents for abandoning them, when it was their devotion to their children that kept the siblings safe and gotten their parents killed. What if a similar misunderstanding cost her Hansel as well?

Edward placed a large hand on Gretel's back and pulled her into a hug. It seemed like the appropriate action; he'd seen his companions embrace whenever they needed reassurance. "We'll find him," promised the gravelly voice.

Gretel snuggled into the large wall of warmth. She had to dig deep but eventually she found her inner strength. She didn't realize how much she depended on her brother to be strong, how much his strength allowed her to be a force to be reckoned with.

"Let's go back to the tavern and look over everything again. We're missing something; maybe with some sleep we'll be able to figure it out." The pair got to their tired feet and made their way back to the stream to collect Ben. The youngest hunter solemnly reported finding no leads from his search and the three of them walked back towards town united in failure.

* * *

Gretel hunched her shoulders and turned her back to the joyous sounds of the other patrons in the tavern. It was just a couple nights ago that her brother had probably given his life to save these people and already they had forgotten his sacrifice. One of the men staggered into their table as he made his way back from the bar. Drops of amber tumbled from his glass and splattered across the map the hunters had spread out on their table. Gretel's rage grew as she watched the paper warp and the ink spider web across the page as the liquid meandered over the surface. With a tremendous shove she pushed the drunk away. The man stumbled to the ground and the room went silent; all eyes shifted towards the group of outsiders in their midst. Gretel's icy glare caused everyone to become very interested in their drinks. She smoothed out her shirt and sat back down ignoring the whispers spreading throughout the tavern.

"Are you alright?" asked Ben. It was the most on edge he had ever seen his companion and it was frightening; she was more relaxed in the face of certain death than she was now.

"I'm fine," she snapped as she sopped up the mess. "Keep looking, we're missing something."

The pair had been looking over the reports and plotting out the locations of the missing travellers for the last few hours and still nothing new had revealed itself. Edward had opted to stay on the outskirts of town and keep an eye out for the possible return of any of the witches. He wasn't going to be much help reading reports anyways, and Gretel was convinced he did it more to make her feel as though someone was still searching for Hansel while she sat comfortably in town.

Ben rubbed his eyes. All the words were turning into one and the dots on the map were transforming into dizzying swirls. "All the disappearances are within a mile of where we were originally searching before."

"Right, but the trail we found from Hansel's disappearance took us in the opposite direction," added Gretel.

"Maybe after she dragged him out to the meadow she headed back that way?" It was a stretch; a rather unnecessarily long route for the witch to take, especially with a prisoner, but it made as much sense as anything else.

"Even if we split the difference between those two points," started Gretel as she traced the route out on the map, "that's a long way for her to take her victims. Witches don't hunt right in their backyard but they don't make frequent long treks like that. There has to be something special about his area, something that's drawing them there..."

The door to the inn burst open and the locals flocked to the intrusion. The two hunters peered through the crowd trying to catch a glimpse at what or who had caused the commotion. As the gasps and mumbles grew silent the crowd parted to let two of the men in the crowd pass, carrying a bloody and tousled looking Andrea.

Gretel's eyes narrowed as she took in the council woman's rough appearance. She dug her fingernails into the table as her anger began to simmer. Her instincts screamed that something wasn't right but her heart was clouded with the question of where was Hansel? If the last time anyone had seen the two of them was together, why wasn't he here now?

The gathered townspeople shuffled out of the witch hunter's way as she stormed over to the injured woman. Getting uncomfortably close in Andrea's face she growled, "Where's my brother?"

Andrea stared into Gretel's dark eyes and swallowed hard. Preparing for her performance, she subtly jabbed a finger into one of her wounds until tears pricked her eyes and her lip trembled. "The witch came back," cried Andrea, "she attacked us in the tavern and Hansel chased after her. He needed help so I followed him out into the woods but she was too powerful for us and she wasn't alone. It was horrible, there were so many and..."

The council woman flinched and let out a startled gasp as Gretel grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. The threat of unspoken violence was clear as Gretel spoke very slowly, pronouncing ever syllable, "What happened to Hansel?!"

"They took him, took us. It was a small village in the forest near the river." Andrea's fragile voice carried over the silence that had settled over everything.

"Show me where!" demanded Gretel. Her steel grip tightened around Andrea's arm as she dragged the council woman over to the table that her and Ben had their maps strewn across. A blood covered finger hesitantly pointed to the map.

"There, I think. He made it possible for me to escape. They were going to kill me and he stopped them. I don't think they let him live..." confessed Andrea; tears rolled down her rosy checks and the inn keepers wife pushed her way between the two women to tend to Andrea's wounds.

"He's alive." She silently preyed that Hansel wouldn't make her a liar, that she would find him, a little worse for wear but alive. "Get your things Ben, we have witches to kill!"


	11. Chapter 11

Time ceased to exist in the darkness. There was nothing but cold and the constant drip that echoed off of the rock cave that would become Hansel's tomb. He had fought for a while, knowing it was a futile effort, but he needed to try. The chains refused to budge. Eventually his energy waned and his struggles slowed but the black void of nothingness continued to surround him.

As his physical ability to resist slowly died he turned his thoughts away from his current predicament and the growing nausea that was starting to build. He could only lose so much of the precious ruby liquid before he died and when that happened Andrea's plans would be ruined. It would be the last thing he could do to protect the ones he loved and the innocent lives that would never know the danger that had been lurking in these woods. Death would be his release from this torment; all other possibilities eluded his addled brain.

The steady throb that had been emanating from his wounds had settled to a dull ache, never disappearing, but no longer all consuming. With heavy eyelids, Hansel closed his eyes and tried to block out the cold that was desperately trying to ravage him.

He had to fight his whole life and never backed down, even in the face of some of the most horrific monsters imaginable. This time felt different, like no matter how hard he tried or how much he struggled, there was just too much stacked against him. There were witches and magic, surviving a rogue lifestyle and now he could add betrayal and family heritage. How does one fight their blood line?

* * *

It was a constant ticking sound that penetrated the fog that had settled over Hansel. He felt sluggish and exhausted but the ticking signified something important; it was right there at the forefront of his mind but he couldn't seem to focus on it. The sound continued, burrowing its way though his entire being, trying to stir the urgency it usually did.

A scuffling sound preceded the flicker of the candles bursting to life once again. The shift in light burned the hunter's eyes and he screwed them shut to try and dampen the new pain that tingled through him. He blinked several times and a fuzzy dark and lanky silhouette caught his attention. The figure clamoured around the nearby table, and Hansel caught the gnarled and twisted features through wisps of black hair.

Panic burned through Hansel at the sight of the witch. Muriel was back; Gretel was in danger. He tried to move his heavy limbs to no success and a gasp tore out of him as the many slices across his chest awakened and sparked new pain. He had to stop Muriel, stop her from performing the ritual... he had already done that.

Hansel let out a frustrated sigh; it took too much effort to block out the dripping sound, the urgent ticking and form a coherent thought with his mind so muddled. Why were things so jumbled? He searched the dim light for Gretel; she could help him sort things out.

"Gretel," he groaned. The word sounded rough even to his ears and he licked his painfully dry lips. He turned his head and twisted as much as his body would allow but he couldn't find his beacon of hope anywhere. "Gretel!"

Katja let out a hiss as the pathetic whines of the human bound on the altar picked away at her. She contemplated the punishment for cutting out his tongue but reconsidered when she final found the source of the infernal ticking. Holding the strange device up, she turned it over in her hand as she examined it in the light. Unable to find a way to silence the constant noise, she stormed over to the prisoner and shoved the device in his face. Katja shrieked, "Tell me how to make it stop."

Hansel squinted to try and bring the object into focus. It was his, the timer belonged to him. A wave of clarity washed over him as the ticking finally registered. This wasn't Muriel and Gretel wasn't there; this was Andrea and her fellow witches slowly bleeding him for some wicked purpose. He smiled as the familiar lightheaded feeling took hold. He may not be able to escape them, but in due time the parting gift from the first witch he killed would take care of his problem. It was the first time in his life that he didn't feel the dire need to inject himself. His condition would do what he was unable to; kill him before Andrea could enact her plan.

A morbid chuckle filled the room as he stared at Katja. She snarled as the man laughed instead of answering her question. Her anger took form as she backhanded the prisoner but the laughter didn't stop.

"Enough!" bellowed Andrea as she entered the dimly lit cave. Katja automatically shrunk back and stepped out of her elder's way. Picking up Hansel's pouch from the wooden table, she pulled out the syringe and vial and filled the needle.

Hansel kept his eyes glued on Andrea as she approached the altar; syringe in hand, displaying it proudly. He grit his teeth as she jabbed it into his thigh and he had to bite down on his lip to hide his disappointment. Apparently she had been paying more attention to him than he realized.

She pulled the empty needle out and patted him on the cheek. "Can't have that now; you're too valuable to me." She moved back to the table and placed the syringe carefully away. Andrea ripped the alarm out of Katja's fingers and wound the dial setting the timer to count down to his next injection. The witches relaxed slightly at the sudden silence.

"Get out!" snarled Andrea and Katja bowed her head and scrambled to comply. Once alone she began to circle Hansel like the vulture she was. She trailed her fingers over the red and angry cuts that had almost stopped weeping. "She's not coming you know."

"Who?"

"Your sister. She's left you here, wandered off somewhere with the brat and that troll." The words rolled off her tongue with delight.

A smirk crossed Hansel's face. Edward and Ben had managed to keep Gretel away. It meant that he was going to die there alone and at the mercy of a creature of the dark but Gretel was safely out of Andrea's reach; he was remarkably alright with the situation.

His smile offended Andrea's sense of control and she dug her sharp fingernail into one of the larger cuts disturbing the clotted blood allowing the warm liquid to trickle out again.

Hansel's muscles tightened and he pulled weakly at the chains binding him to the table. He tried to give her a defiant look but all his energy was devoted to keeping his eyes open. Missing his injection time usually left him feeling run down for a bit afterwards but compounded with the blood loss he didn't stand much of a chance. The world tilted slightly and the nauseas feeling resurfaced with a vengeance. He tried to follow Andrea's movements but the black dots that had been dancing at the edges of his vision descended in full force and everything disappeared.

* * *

A gentle humming tickled his ears and soothed his stiff muscles. A faint smile ghosted Hansel's lips and he started to roll over and settle back to sleep. It had been awhile since Gretel woke up in a good mood and as much as he wanted to enjoy it, he couldn't ignore the exhaustion pulling at him. His arm suddenly pulled back and his head smacked against the hard stone surface he was lying on. His eyes shot open and it took a moment before his calmness shifted back to despair as his situation reaffirmed itself.

He twisted his head until he could move no further; it still wasn't enough to get a good view of the witch. She was diligently tending to whatever she was conjuring in the caldron and he tried to ignore that icy feeling of panic that what she was working on was not going to be in his favour. Despite his looming fear, he couldn't take his eyes off of the proceedings.

Andrea snatched the dagger she had skilfully carved up Hansel with earlier and dipped it into the thick black liquid. She pulled the blade out; the dark coating slowly dripping off like molasses. Moving with an almost envious grace, she made her way back to her prized possession. She held the blade up high for Hansel to see; the cold, dark stained metal suddenly glowing green. Her delicate hand grabbed his arm with unimaginable strength, almost crushing the bones in his wrist, and in one swift motion sliced a thin line through his flesh.

The deceptively small cut burned with the force of a bonfire, spreading quickly from the epicentre through the rest of his body. It was so intense and like nothing he had ever felt before. Instinctively Hansel tried to curl in on himself but the ever present chains binding him to this prison prevented such a small attempt at comfort.

"This," she jeered holding up the knife, "will ensure my fountain of power will never dry. A cut from this blade will never heal. The magic will keep the wound from healing and by making small cuts, you won't lose more blood than you can do without. You're about to make me the most powerful witch of all Hansel; you should take pride in that."

The hunter wanted to laugh in her face; magic didn't work on them. Except the way he was feeling, the slow burn that blazed from the tips of his fingers down to his toes, maybe he had found the exception to the rule. The familiar arms of sleep wrapped around him and as he let them guide him gently into that good night, he reminded himself that the vial of his medicine wasn't bottomless. This couldn't go on forever.


	12. Chapter 12

The early rays of dawn were dancing across the town by the time Gretel and Ben had gathered their weapons and supplies. Ben had barely said a word all night; he just silent gathered what he thought might be useful and stayed out from under Gretel's feet. He wasn't as intimately acquainted with all of the other hunter's moods as her brother might be, but he could definitely tell the difference between determination and outright anger and Gretel seemed to be displaying the latter. The young man stumbled behind her as she trudged up the hill from town.

The half slumbering troll shook himself fully awake as he heard the pair approach. He didn't have time to ask the question rolling in his mouth before Gretel barked, "Andrea identified the location she believes the witches that took Hansel are hiding. Ben and I are going to check it out."

Edward clamoured to his feet albeit somewhat clumsily; his friends needed him and sleep could wait.

"Edward stay here!" snapped Gretel as she grabbed the spare bolts for her crossbow.

Even Ben came up short at the venom in her voice. "Are you sure that's such a good idea. Andrea said there were a bunch of witches. We could really use the big guy's strength..."

Gretel replied, "Andrea lied."

"How do you know?" asked Ben.

"Someone was dragged from the inn. If they both chased after the witches, then who was dragged out back and why wasn't the tavern in more disarray when we arrived? Hansel wouldn't go quietly." Ben paused to consider Gretel's points. "He never would have let her follow him. It was a fight for me to convince him to let you two tag along. He doesn't like strangers and he can't stand the idea of taking innocent people unable to defend themselves along to face trouble. Hansel would ever have let Andrea anywhere near those witches, especially after what happened to Mina."

A frown shadowed the young man's face. "But why would she lie?"

"I don't know but I plan on finding out. That's why I need you to stay here Edward; if she leaves Sage, someone has to follow her and see where she goes. In the meantime Andrea seems to want us out here and I intend to find out why."

"Trap," offered Edward.

"Probably. If they're after me then they'll want to use Hansel as bait. There's a chance he's right where she said he would be. If you don't hear from us in four days, I want you to make her talk Edward." Gretel locked eyes with her large friend until she was sure he understood every implication of what she was saying. Without further debate she marched along the trail with Ben jogging to keep up.

* * *

The foliage was thick but it finally parted as Gretel crawled to the peak of the hill. Hiding amongst the bushes and shrubbery she was able to peer down the valley to the small collection of modest homes nestled in the meadow. It looked like a peaceful little community of no more than seven homes and a large barn. The remote location was free of the hustle and bustle of the larger community of Sage and gave off the vibe of a settlement that wished to be left to its own devices.

"It doesn't look like a witch's lair," said Ben as he took in the sleepy little hollow. The ground was lumpy and he tried not to fidget and disturb their cover.

"And what does a witch's lair look like? They're supposed to be inviting so it's easier to lure people in. But you're right, witches typically aren't farmers and unless they believe in free range children for breakfast," conceded Gretel as she pointed towards the group of children playing in one of the gardens, "this isn't the home of our tree witches."

He looked at Gretel in awe; he still had so much to learn. He would have taken Andrea at her word and probably gone down to the houses guns a blazing before he noticed things like livestock and free and happy children. For a terrible profession, she sure made it look easy. "Why would Andrea send us here then?"

"I don't know. I think we should watch for awhile then go in for a closer look. Keep your eyes peeled for Hansel, there's still a chance he could be there."

A sharp snap of a twig caused both hunters to tense and freeze. They waited; ears searching for any other noise to give away the culprit in their midst. Using hand signals, Gretel urged Ben to move around the left and check out the area while she went right.

Slipping through the brush as silently as she could manage, Gretel made her way back to the path they followed up the hill. The forest was silent; too quiet. There were no gentle songs of birds or hum of bugs, only deadly silence. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she let out a shaky breath; the chilly feeling of being watched settled deep in her gut.

* * *

Ben swung his rifle off his shoulder as he weaved around the spindly trees. Another snap pulled him further into the thicket. With trembling fingers he raised the rife and moved in; his heart thudded louder with each step he took and it almost jumped out of his chest as the goat that had been diligently munching startled and ran past him.

He dropped the butt of the rifle to the ground and leaned against it to steady himself. The relief that filled within him left him a little wobbly. "A goat," chuckled the young hunter.

"Well if it isn't my would be protector," sang and eerily familiar voice.

Ben startled and swiftly turned, fumbling with his rifle slightly. A shiver rand down his spine as an amused smile overcame the porcelain doll in the green cape. If facing down a rifle was distressing to the golden haired maiden, she never let on.

"What brings you out this far in these lovely dark woods?"

"I...well...you see...I'm... the thing is... I'm actually..." His tongue tied in all sorts of knots and anything resembling an intelligent thought evaporated. Her delightful giggle ceased his attempt at verbal communication and a deep red blush bloomed across his face.

"So articulate," she cooed as she ran her fingers gently up his arm and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Th...there's danger in these woods miss..."

"Alexis," the stranger supplied.

"Alexis." Ben rolled the name around his mouth; it was as beautiful as she was. "There are evils lurking in theses woods. If you come with me and my friend we can see you..." His words were cut off as Alexis placed a delicate kiss on his lips. His world narrowed to the beating of his heart and the warmth that was spreading over every inch of his body.

"That's very sweet," she whispered.

A goofy grin curled Ben's lips before a wave of dread drowned out the blissful feeling the beauty had given him. A cold numbness started in his lips and flowed through him until his eyes rolled in the back of his head and Ben collapsed unconscious to the ground in an undignified heap.

"But entirely unnecessary," finished Alexis.


	13. Chapter 13

Hansel stared at his wrist as though if he concentrated hard enough he could force the wound to heal and his blood to stop flowing. It had been days since Andrea had sliced his arm open with the glowing green dagger and true to her claim, the injury kept bleeding. It wasn't enough to kill him, just enough to keep him weak and useless, lying there supplying her with the ingredient that would tip the scales of magic in her favour.

After Andrea's triumphant return to gloat about Gretel's supposed abandonment, she stayed for a few hours to further torment her prisoner. Hansel didn't rise to the challenge; he was relieved beyond words that his sister had accepted his decision to keep her out of harm's way and left with Ben and Edward. The grand witch stormed back to Sage leaving Hansel alone with nothing to do but contemplate his predicament. It was harder to be alone than it was to be defiant in the face of evil.

Katja had been left to tend to his needs; dumping a thick chalky liquid down his throat to sedate his hunger. Her not so gentle touch was also responsible for administering his injection. The witch's intermittent presence only served to fuel Hansel's despair. The days blurred together with flashes of darkness, Katja's decomposing features, pain and jumbled memories. Most of his remaining energy was focused on taking his next laboured breath.

The alarm going off roused him for a terrible nightmare. He swallowed what little saliva he could produce and watched Katja fumbled around the table through heavy eyelids. The sharp prick in his leg drew his eyes down and he blinked them a few times to bring the muddled shapes into focus. He stared at the pouch containing his needle and vial of medicine trying to process what was different about it. It took a shamefully long minute for him to realize a pair of spectacles had hooked onto the pouch; the same moment it occurred to him, a spark of hope gleamed in his eye.

Katja turned and moved back to the table to reset the timer, turning her back to Hansel, the pouch and the sturdy wire rimmed glasses that were thin enough to slip into a lock. With a trembling hand he stretched towards the spectacles; fingers staining to reached the desired object. His fingers just brushed the thin wire before his muscles screamed in protest from both lack of use and lack of energy. Hansel took in a deep breath and tried again. His heart pounded faster as he heard the witch complete the last turn of the timer dial. If he could just get a hold of the glasses he could use the wire temples to pick the lock and free himself from this hell.

He licked his lips and tried one last time to snatch the glasses before Katja came back to place the pouch back on the table. Hansel's middle finger hooked around the bridge of the glasses and as swiftly as he could manage, shuffled the spectacles out of the pouch and under his thigh. His breath caught in his throat as the decrepit face twisted in suspicion; Katja eyes roamed over his body, scrutinizing every inch before she snatched the medicine pouch and headed for the door.

Hansel closed his eyes and concentrated on getting himself back under control. For the first time in a long time he had hope. He wasn't sure what he was going to do after he freed himself from the chains but he took a moment revel in his momentary success.

Working one handed was difficult but after an hour of fiddling and working the wire, he managed to snap the temple off of the spectacles. A chuckle rose from his throat; step two in his impossible task had been completed. It required every ounce of patients he possessed not to throw his converted tool across the room every time he failed to pop the lock. Gretel always made it look so easy, like a simple twist could set him free.

Even the simple exertion of twisting the wire in the lock was draining what little strength he had and he had to fight back the tears of despair that were pricking his eyes. Finally the distinctive click whispered to the room and Hansel almost trembled with excitement. One lock down, three more to go. Each lock became easier to manipulate as he had a larger range of motion and better access. He was down to his final one when the distinctive footsteps of Katja echoed through the halls.

Hansel sucked in a deep calming breath and focused on the lock that still bound his right foot to the altar. The thundering steps counted down his remaining time to secure his freedom and his forehead creased in frustration.

Katja entered the cavern as the candles flickered to life. She swiftly moved towards the altar where the prisoner was lying. She reached out with her boney fingers and gripped his jaw tightly, forcing his lips to part, and poured the thick white liquid down. Hansel struggled and gurgled for a few seconds trying to resist but the witch just pressed harder against his cheeks leaving deep red marks. It was the same routine every time and she had just about emptied the contents of the jar when a solid fist connected with the side of her head, sending her stumbling to the side.

The hunter moved as quickly as he could to slip his hand and feet free from under the chains. Without the locks holding them in place they fell away as easily. He fell into the witch more than he threw himself at her in his attempt to leave the dimly lit room. They fell to the ground in a heap; Hansel taking advantage of her surprise to get in a few good elbows to the head.

The stunned witch lay on the stone floor as he painstakingly pulled himself to his feet; he caught himself on the wooden table as the world proceeded to tilt and spin. On wobbly legs, he staggered through the twisting tunnels leaning against the wall for support every so often. His breaths were coming out in hard pants and his head was spinning but he refused to give up.

After what seemed like an eternity, Hansel caught the first rays of sunlight peeking around the corner of the next bend. A gentle breeze blew the sweet fragrance of the forest around him and he sucked in a deep breath to try and replace the stale and pungent air of the cave that had penetrated every fibre of his being for so long. The warm sun was delightful against his cold and clammy skin, but he didn't have time to enjoy it; Katja let out a tremendous roar from deep within the cave and Hansel knew he had to move. He wouldn't stand a chance against her in his current condition, leaving the only option, running and hiding.

Hansel stumbled and tripped along the uneven forest floor. While his surroundings had lifted his spirits greatly, it did nothing for his condition, but he pushed forward nonetheless. His legs finally gave out and he collapsed face first into the soft dirt. His hands coiled into fists as his frustration at his own body's betrayal exploded.

"I'll get you witch hunter; you're mine!" shrieked Katja from somewhere behind him.

"Fucking witches." The sheer sound of the wale made Hansel's skin crawl; he wasn't going back. Through determination alone, he got onto his hands and knees and began to crawl. Twigs and branches began to snap behind him as the witch drew closer; he rolled under the nearest bush and prayed to a god he never believed in that the nightmare incarnate would pass him by.

Hansel was as still as a corpse, straining his ears to pick up any sound to indicate if the threat had passed. He desperately tried to ignore the part of him that wished Gretel was there with him. No matter the life threatening situation they found themselves in, no matter the hopelessness he felt, his sister's presence always exuded calm and reassurance; as if, as long as they were together, they could succeed. It was a selfish thought, one that he buried quickly. She was safe and even if he had to endure this for an eternity, it was a fair trade.

Hansel lost all track of time and purpose as he lay there staring up at the sky watching the tree tops dance around the periphery of his vision. His stomach was still rolling and his eyelids were fighting to close. His gaze flickered from the forest ceiling to the small red puddle beneath his wrist and back up to Edward.

Hansel blinked a few times trying to bring the large bulky mass towering over him into focus. He wasn't sure he could trust his sense anymore; maybe his hope was playing tricks on him. That momentary flicker of hope quickly turned to dread.

Large hands scooped him up and over the creature's shoulder. "Edward? No, no no no no, you're supposed to be with Gretel... supposed to keep her safe," slurred Hansel as his eyes finally rolled in the back of his head and he went limp against the troll.


	14. Chapter 14

Gretel awoke to the painful throb in her head. She silently vowed that the next person to punch her in the face was going to get her foot so far up their ass... The painful pull in her arms brought her attention back to the predicament at hand. She twisted her wrists trying to determine how much give the ropes binding her arms behind her back had; not a lot but she could work with it. The straw, while comfortable to lie in, dug into her back as she tried to roll over and get a better look at her surroundings.

"Ben," she whispered as she set eyes on her companion, unconscious and in a similar circumstance a few feet away. The young man didn't even stir. It was slow going and by the end she was panting, but Gretel managed to worm her way closer. With more bite she tried again, "Ben."

A small frown appeared on his forehead. "Alexis," he mumbled but didn't wake up.

Gretel let out a huff, they were in danger and he was daydreaming about girls. "Wake up Ben!" she snapped and followed it up with a swift kick to the shin.

Ben startled awake at the force of the blow and looked blearily around the old barn. He ran his tongue around his dry mouth and tried to lift his heavy head. Alarm flashed over his face as his arms refused to follow his commands and the harsh bite of rope dug into his wrists and elbows. He looked beseechingly at Gretel for answers; the last thing he remembered was a tender kiss from Alexis, then it all went black. Someone that pretty couldn't be evil, could they?

"Take a deep breath and relax," instructed the older hunter in an attempt to head off the panic that was threatening Ben's resolve. It was moments like this that she almost envied her young friend; the innocence and ability to be afraid in situations like this had faded so long ago for herself and Hansel that it seemed like a natural part of their lives. She often wished that Hansel could have the normal life she knew he secretly craved, a life where things like this were nightmares and not a way of life. "That's it, one more time."

Ben started to calm down but he was still tense and ridged. "What happened?" She asked slowly, trying to keep his attention on her and not let his mind wander towards doomsday scenarios.

"It was a goat," he started before swallowing hard, "the noise we heard was caused by a grazing goat. Then the girl in the green cloak, the one from the road, appeared. She told me her name was Alexis and then she put her hands on my shoulders and... everything went black." Ben ducked his head and avoid Gretel's penetrating gaze.

She raised an eyebrow in question at the bright pink blush that was burning at his ears. "Is that all?"

He mumbled, "She might have kissed me."

"Men," Gretel rolled her eyes, "pretty eyes and a set of tits and you'd gladly hold their hand as they walk you to your execution."

"Wait... how did you end up here?"

"Your little seductress has friends and as much as I hate to admit it, they're good. We have to get out of here and find Hansel." Gretel began to worm her way closer to Ben, a task made difficult by the heavy rope twisting her limbs uncomfortably. "Roll over and I'll try and untie your hands."

Moving as quickly as he was able, Ben scrambled to obey Gretel's order. She never failed to impress him as the ropes eventually fell slack against his sore wrists. He immediately set to work freeing his companion; their first problem was solved but a lack of weapons limited their options for forming a decent offense.

Their search of the vacant barn didn't last long before a shiver ran down Gretel's back. It was a well developed sense that had saved her and Hansel many times over; without having to turn around, she knew they were no longer alone.

"And just what do you two think you're up too?" asked the petite old lady. She appeared to be a sweet, gentle grandmother figure, but if the witch hunter had learned anything in her life, it was that looks were very deceiving.

Gretel assumed a defensive posture while Ben just tried to look like he hadn't been startled by their unexpected guest. The tension only mounted as Alexis sauntered in, Muriel's wand gripped tightly in her hand and Gretel had to draw on every ounce of strength she possessed to keep herself from charging forward and ripping the wand out of the younger woman's hand. She had been angry before, terrified for her brother but the mere sight of that wand in someone else's hand made her skin crawl and her stomach fill with an unrelenting need to get it back.

A small smile graced the old lady's face as she took in the formidable woman standing before her poised and ready for a fight. "Oh dear, not even on your best day with me at my worst, would you be able to get past me, so just relax before you do something you're going to regret."

Ben looked between each of the women trying to figure out what their play was going to be. These were witches they were up against, yet the hunters were still alive and relatively unharmed. Alexis had several opportunities to kill Ben but had left him unharmed, perhaps they weren't the enemy. There was still the fact that Hansel was missing, numerous travellers had been killed in those very woods and they had taken the pair prisoner.

"We should kill them, like the evil they are," snapped Alexis, her glare never once wavering from Gretel.

An indignant huff left Gretel as she viciously retorted, "Evil? We're not the ones killing people in the woods."

The young witch was quick to counter, "No, you just burn witches..."

The elder woman raised a hand to silence the argument that was growing in volume and spite. Turning her kind eyes towards their guest, she took a moment to assess the burning desire Gretel exuded to reclaim that which was hers. "I think your understanding of the world is not as great as you believe it to be. We pose no threat to those that wish us no harm; in fact, I would appreciate it if you joined me for some refreshments and food. You must be famished."

Ben looked to Gretel; he trusted her judgement. Alexis didn't feel like a threat, being around her didn't produce that same terrifying exhilaration that every other witch they faced had stirred within him. His fellow hunter didn't move a muscle; she stood there rigid waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Sensing Gretel's apprehension to trust that which she had spent her life hunting, the older woman tried a different tactic. "Yes, we were the ones slipping the potion to the people of Sage. No, I have no plan to cast any spells on your young companion if you do join me for dinner." She turned and made her way towards the barn door, Alexis begrudgingly following behind. Before she slipped out the door, she turned and played her trump card. Over her shoulder she called, "You shouldn't be worried about my spells anyways; they have no effect on the daughter of Adrianna."

For a moment, Gretel forgot how to breathe. Her heart pounded in her chest to the point she thought it would burst. For years she had wanted information on their mother and after so long in the dark, it seemed everyone had the answers she had needed. After Muriel's confession, Gretel wasn't sure she could bare anymore sorrow filled tales about the person she loved and resented with her whole heart only to discover that it was circumstance that had ripped their happy family apart.

Choosing to ignore the tiny voice in her head that screamed this was a bad idea, she quickly followed her captors out of the barn.


	15. Chapter 15

Somewhere in the maze of trees and jutting rock formations, Edward had lost sight of Andrea. The witch had returned to the tranquil town of Sage and her adoring public, not long after Gretel and Ben had departed, but to the troll's dismay, she had managed to slip out under the cover of darkness several days in a row. Overconfidence was beginning to show and this trip back into the woods had not been as guarded as Andrea's other journeys, allowing Edward to trail her. But humans and witches alike could be quite cleaver and at some point his target had disappeared into the walls of greenery.

The troll's shoulders slumped; this was the one thing he could do to help his friends and again he was going to prove to be unsuccessful today. The longer the hunter was missing, the less likely it was they would ever see him again, and though Hansel wasn't Edward's first choice for a friend, he had grown rather fond of him. More importantly Hansel was important to Gretel; she was the only person to treat the troll kindly and not like some barbaric mindless animal, and if he knew nothing more about Hansel than his place in Gretel's heart, it would be enough for him to want to save the hunter.

He continued to lumber through the forest looking for any signs that the witches had been in the area recently. The peaceful calm of Mother Nature was disrupted by the nearby thrashing and snapping of twigs and foliage. Edward's ears perked up, trying to pinpoint the exact direction the disturbance was originating from. He moved through the brush with a singular purpose, drawing ever nearer to the sound. The hoarse scream of some ungodly wretch echoed in the stillness that had settled and though the troll did not recognize the voice the sentiment it carried stirred him forward.

The eerie silence that had gripped the forest the first night he had camped outside of Sage had returned as neither bird nor insect dared to hum their song. The hairs on the back of Edward's neck stood on end and the presence of evil saturated the area. Witches were close, whether or not it was Andrea and her coven or another contingent of tree witches, he wasn't sure, but based on the furious scream that tore through the forest, whoever it was, was viciously stalking its prey.

The noise moved further away in the direction that led back to town. The troll would never be able to move at a speed that would allow him to catch up to the witch but the trail she left in her wake was easy to follow. It was a blessing perhaps that the cumbersome creature could only saunter through the woods, for if he had been hot on the heels of Satan's bride, he would have missed the soft and subtle sound of someone sucking in shallow breaths. Edward stopped midstride and tried to locate the source of the gentle but distressing sound.

Edward brushed a leafy bush out of the way as he moved off the worn path and paused. There nestled in the dirt and decay of the forest was the wayward soul he had been sent to retrieve. Hansel looked awful, pale and working hard to suck in shallow breaths. His eyes were glazed over and he stared up at the sky without really seeing anything; the wound on his wrist was bleeding sluggishly adding to the small puddle pooling around his hand. Desperation instead of recognition washed over the worn out man as Edward scooped him up as gently as he was able, ever mindful of injuries and uncharacteristically fragile state of the poor soul before him.

Hansel offered a weak struggle. "Edward? No, no no no no, you're supposed to be with Gretel... supposed to keep her safe," he slurred until his eyes finally rolled in the back of his head and he went limp against the troll.

Edward looked around trying to decide where to take his precious burden; the man needed help, help the troll lacked the knowledge and skill to offer, but where to take him? People with knowledge of the healing arts lived within the town but so did Andrea. Gretel would know what to do but she and Ben were off investigating the area they suspected a coven of witches to reside; assuming they were still alright, there would be no way to know exactly where the pair were and precious moments Hansel may not have would be lost aimlessly searching for them.

Going with his gut, the troll headed towards the village. Knowing a witch was ahead of them, presumably looking for the very man he intended to help, Edward decided to take the long way back. It might take more time but it might be safer and the alternative route would take them by a babbling brook where he could hopefully get some water and food into the ailing hunter.

Hansel slowly opened his eyes as the jostling of his aching body picked up. The world swam around him and he immediately began to wretch. A low grumble vibrated from the large body that was holding him close and the dizzying motion that had embraced him came to a halt. When his stomach gave up its small protest he tried to manoeuvre his head to get a better look at what horror had him in their claws now.

"Ed…Edward?" The hunter blinked his eyes several times trying to dispel the dream before him. The familiarity of the creature holding him caused a rush of warmth and safety to bloom from within Hansel but before his mind could lock onto the joy that would come from his rescue, the sweet dream of freedom gave way to his worst nightmare.

"You're…you're sup…supposed to be… be with Gretel." It was with great difficulty that his tongue wrapped itself around the words but the sincerity in his eyes conveyed more than any poorly slurred words ever could. "Y..you were s'pose to keep her s…safe."

"With Ben, not here," grunted Edward as he tried to shift the squirming man so as not to drop him.

"Safe?"

Pausing for a moment, Edward weighed his response. He couldn't say for certain that she was safe but she wasn't suffering at the hands of Hansel's tormentor and leaving the man to speculate possible horrors would not do him any good. "She's safe," he assured, feeling Hansel go lax in his arms at the news.

"Good, that's… good."

An all too familiar twinge shot up the troll's spine causing him to stiffen and stop. Hansel let his head flop to the side so he could get a good look at his saviour's face; the inhuman face was impassive gave him nothing and just before he was going to ask what caused Edward to pause, his attention was pulled to a presence lurking behind them.

"And just where do you think you're going with my pet?" demanded Andrea with a deceptive calm. The only response was a low grumble from the troll as he tightened his grip on his precious cargo. The witch quirked one eyebrow up as she took in the curious sight before her; from what she knew of Hansel, he didn't have the magical understanding, nor the presence to command the creature, yet the troll was helping him. She stifled as small chuckle at the preposterous thought that anyone could be friends with such a boorish creature.

"Bring him and follow me!" she ordered with a harsh bite before turning on her heels to march back towards the cave. Andrea made it all of three steps before she realized the troll was not following. She quickly whipped around, eyes shooting daggers at the beast before her, and snarled while enunciating every syllable, "Bring him!"

Edward wanted to resist the command, wanted nothing more than to turn and continue on towards the village but the overwhelming sense to capitulate burrowed into every muscle. One couldn't fight against their nature and as much as he wanted to disobey, he found himself taking a step towards the witch. Like flowers seeking out the sun, trolls obeyed witches, not because they wanted to but because they had no choice; it was in their DNA to do so and resistance was not an option. The only thing that could countermand the order was a command by a more powerful witch and though the troll could sense the presence of magic within his charge, he knew the man had didn't have the skill or strength to pull that off. Without thought or choice he kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Hansel fought to lift his laden eyelids and looked imploringly at his friend. "Edward?" The flicker of alarm burning deep within him made it past his carefully guarded defences. He didn't want to go back to the horrors that lay wait in the cave and he certainly didn't want to be brought back by the hands of someone he had embraced into his inner circle.

"Trolls obey witches," offered Edward. It wasn't an apology as such but the regret shone in his eyes the few times he found the inner strength to make eye contact with the ailing man in his arms.

Hansel could see the sorrow within the troll and found it hard to hold any anger towards someone who was clearly going to be another helpless victim in Andrea's clutches. "s'kay, big guy. Long as Gretel's s'afe," he managed before everything blissfully went black.


	16. Chapter 16

The sharp slam of the cage door locking in place echoed through the dark halls of Andrea's lair. She stared at the troll for a moment trying to deduce why such a creature would align himself with those that would normally hunt him. For some reason the lowly beast seemed to exude loyalty towards the witch hunter, a fact she was not going to over look. Her commands had to be obeyed but all of her hard work was not to be undone because a troll was desperate enough to find a loophole to one of her command.

"Don't worry troll, I'll take good care of your friend. I'll treasure him like the special gift that he is." Andrea's eyes shone bright with all the evil and mal-intent she bore in her soul. Her twisted smile parted her lips enough to expose her sharp teeth.

The guilt over handing Hansel back over to the witch burned greatly within Edward to start with, but seeing the joy she took and the venom in her words, only caused to the troll to ache even more. He desperately hoped that Gretel and Ben were alright and able to come and rescue their fellow hunter from all the evils Andrea promised to inflict on Hansel.

Leaving the only loose end safely locked in a cage that was entirely too small to be remotely comfortable, the witch headed back to the main chamber. She had had her first taste of Hansel's blood and felt the power flare within her, but like most things, it was fleeting. She would need to consume more to experience the burst in power that his life force had provided before and since her spell promised to keep the wound on his wrist bleeding, she would have an indefinite supply as long as she could hold onto him.

* * *

A small groan wormed its way out of Hansel as Katja viciously slammed him down on the altar. Tears stung his eyes; he had worked so hard to escape that very place and was so easily brought back. Normally he had more fight in him but the small squirming attempts to break free were proving useless and despair was blanketing him in its suffocating grasp.

The cavern was bathed in the soft glow of candle light and the flames which were licking the bottom of a black cauldron hanging in the fireplace. The soft bubbling of the thick dark liquid on the fire released the awful smell of blood and the witch hunter trembled as the memories of his first witch threatened to destroy the last remaining shreds of his resolve. Like the familiar memories bombarding his muddles mind, memorable pains began to attack his body and he didn't need to have his timer to know he was late on his next injection.

Katja slammed the pouch containing Hansel's vial down by his leg with enough force to make a thump. Hansel looked down in time to see the wicked smile on the witch before she moved away in search of where she had left the needle. The hags all seemed so proud of themselves.

His heart ached at the possibility of never seeing his sister again, and truly that would be his only regret, leaving her alone in the world, but he knew what he had to do, no matter how painful. Hansel sucked in a deep breath and called on a strength he didn't even know he possessed, but he managed to bend his knee and slam his foot forward. As the satisfying sound of smashing glass sounded throughout the cavern he let out a happy laugh.

The witch went rigid at the sound and turned back to the prisoner with a deep snarl. Her eyes ran over his well muscled but trembling form to the floor where the pouch now lay in a puddle. If her heart wasn't so twisted with evil and decay it would have skipped a beat; Andrea was going to kill her. She eyed the puddle sceptically as the weight of the empty syringe in her hand grew heavier, maybe she would be able to suck enough off of the ground to hold Andrea's prize over until she could think of a way to obtain more of the medicine. The hunter had to have more than one vial somewhere, with his sister perhaps or maybe she could beat the name and location of his supplier out of him.

Katja stormed over towards Hansel and grabbed him by the neck; on instinct his hands wrapped around her wrist to try and stop the ever tightening grip from suffocating him. She may have thought he was weak enough to leave him unchained but the hunter proved there was still a little fight left in him. She ignored the way his nails clawed into her arm attempting to purchase his release and just squeezed harder. The man had caused nothing but trouble for the witch ever since Andrea declared her intent for him; even now she was being treated as a servant to tend to his needs, rather than a powerful witch.

The impressive form of the witch cowered away as Andrea stepped into the room. Both occupants watched as Andrea looked from the struggle taking place on the altar and the worrisome mess of glass that littered the ground sparkling like fallen stars burning out on the earth.

Hansel knew that look all too well and a nervous shudder ran through him as his well proven imagination conjured up the many punishments Andrea could concoct as recompense for foiling her plans. He would face them all because it was the only way to keep Gretel safe now; he would deny her the one ingredient she hungered for, his blood.

Displeasure wavered with frustration contorting Andrea's deceptively sweet features. "Release him," commanded the witch as she strode boldly towards the pair. Katja's hand immediately let go allowing Hansel's head to connect with the stone with a thud. Andrea stepped into the space vacated by her companion and ran a finger gently down the side of the hunter's face and along his jaw line, cooing softly, "I wouldn't want you to damage him unnecessarily."

"S'not going to matter soon," managed Hansel with a defiant glare and satisfied smirk. He had been warned long ago, when the town doctor figured out what was wrong with the poor orphaned child that had sought refuge in the town with his sister, what would happen if he didn't receive his shot. He also had an unfortunate number of experiences and close calls of what to expect through his trials as a witch hunter; it would be a miserable existence but a brief one from here on out. The witch was going to lose.

"Oh, did you think I wasn't prepared for this? Well maybe not _this_, but that vial wasn't unending, and I do have plans to hold on to you for a _very_ long time. Your blood expands my powers and with it I will bring this world to its knees and bring all those snivelling worthless people to their knees like the beasts you are, starting with that bitch sister of yours."

Hansel watched helplessly as Andrea began pulling vials off the shelf and mixing their contents in a small brown bowl. He could feel himself becoming detached from his surroundings as his vision began to get spotty. His lips moved in a silent prayer that whatever Andrea was doing, it would take too long, that she would be too late to save him.

He firmly pressed his lips together as Andrea tried to force a spoonful of thick black liquid past his lips. "You think your medicine is a well guarded secret? There are other ways to ward off the effects of the sugar sickness!" Her sharp nails dug into his cheeks as her hand tightened in an attempt to force his mouth open.

Hansel shook his head trying to dislodge himself from her crushing grip. He wriggled and writhed as Andrea climbed on top of him, using her weight to pin him down. There was nowhere to run but he was adamant he would not open his mouth and swallow that foul liquid.

Andrea let out a cackle as her prisoner tried to fight the inevitable. She let go of his jaw and clamped her hand down on his nose, pinching it hard. His brow creased in discomfort but he still refused to part his lips and allow her to slip the spoon in.

The burning sensation in his lungs grew and his heat pounded in his chest; the ever growing need to take a breath was building at an alarming rate. Hansel's will was no match for his body's desperate need and once again it betrayed him as it gave in and gasped for breath. Without missing a beat, Andrea jammed the spoon in his mouth, the tar like liquid coating his tongue and throat in a thick sludge. It rolled down his throat competing for space with the air that his lungs required, choking him. Hansel coughed and sputtered but couldn't get the goo out of his mouth; it settled like a stone in his stomach.

The coughing fit allowed Andrea to cram another spoonful in his mouth and another after that. When she was satisfied that he had swallowed most of it, she reattached the manacles. "Don't worry, you're going to be around for a long time my dear, long enough to watch me tear your sister apart." Feeling confident from her recent triumph, Andrea made her way back to the troll to see if he knew what fate had befallen Gretel. If there was anything left of her after dealing with those troublesome witches in the forest, Andrea would bring her back here for the sheer entertainment of watching Hansel gravel and beg for her pathetic life like a dog.


	17. Chapter 17

Ben had to run to catch up to Gretel, who was hot on the heels of their elderly host. The inhabitants of the small village didn't give the quickly moving party a second glance as they made their way from the barn to a tiny cottage at the end of the path. Ben caught the brief moment of hesitation in Gretel just before she crossed the threshold of the house; nothing good ever seemed to happen in the home of a witch.

The room had all the trappings of home and if Ben didn't know that the occupant was a witch, he would have been quite comfortable there. The older lady seated herself at the head of the table in the kitchen and motioned for her guests to join her. The young hunter pulled out a chair as Alexis moved to grab a kettle that had been boiling over the fire; Gretel refused to move any further than the entrance way, folding her arms and glaring hard. She wasn't the only stubborn woman in the room; Alexis set out the teacups and proceeded to fill them with an equally ferocious glare.

"You said you knew my mother," spat Gretel.

"I said no such thing," corrected the older woman; she gestured once again to the empty seat beside Ben. Gretel relented, if only to save Ben from himself and snatched the teacup from his hand before sitting down. Ignoring the disappointment on her companion's face, Gretel turned her attention back to their host. "I simply suggested that I knew who she was and you are, my dear."

"Then you clearly have me at a disadvantage…" Gretel waved her hand in hopes the elder would supply the missing piece of the puzzle.

"Sabine, and I know _of_ your mother, most good witches do, or rather did."

"Good witches, yet you're what the town of Sage has to fear," countered the brunette.

"We have to fear the villagers," snapped Alexis before Sabine raised a hand to silence her petulant sidekick.

"Andrea started the witch hunt and since most don't stop to ask questions, just burn any suspected of witch craft, we had to protect ourselves," explained Sabine with authority but somehow still managing to maintain the soft gentle quality in her voice. "We lived amongst the people of Sage for generations before Andrea came. When her coven's wicked ways were discovered, when people started to go missing, well… the best place to hide is in plain sight and Andrea made the accusations, pointing to all those within our coven. The people would not rest until every witch was burned so we did the only thing we could think of; we slipped a potion in the well to make everyone believe they had gotten rid of the witch problem. We settled here and the villagers have no cause to believe we are any different than they; the witch problem was solved you see. Decades later, we are still here and the villagers are none the worse for wear for our potion."

Gretel's rigid posture remained, but her nerves felt a little better. It could all be a trick, yet something deep within her stirred and soothed her suspicions. "So what changed? Why would Andrea risk bringing attention back to everyone?"

"That's where you come in my dear." Sabine placed Muriel's wand on the table in front of her. "You and Muriel, I suppose. Word spread that Muriel had found a grand white witch and was going to perform the ceremony; what spread equally fast was the story of how you and your brother stopped her."

Gretel proudly declared, "We've killed a lot of witches."

"Yes, but it was never common knowledge that you two are descendants of a grand white witch. One powerful enough, I might add, to protect both her children with a protection spell. Very few can cast such a spell let alone well enough to last a whole life time. And what better way to get you here than rumours of witches and missing people."

"This is all very interesting but what does it have to…"

"You're a witch my dear," stated Sabine forcefully, "but I suspect you knew that already. It's why you're drawn to this." Sabine picked up the wand and watched as Gretel's eyes followed it's every move. "Wands are powerful things, but no more than the witch that wields it. They help focus and direct power, amplify it to allow the witch to do great or evil things. "You picked a good one… a powerful one," said the older woman as she handed the wand to Gretel.

Ben's mouth gapped open for a few moments before he found his tongue. "But that's Muriel's wand."

"A wand is neither good nor evil, only the hand that wields it," clipped Sabine before Ben could say any more.

Gretel had to admit, there was something so right about having it in her hand. It was familiar and terrifying all at the same time and her curiosity peeked at the thought of learning more, or learning who she really was. Her elation was short lived as realized she had forgotten Hansel. Hansel, the one person she really had left in this world and the one person that so desperately wanted her to have no part in any of this. Carefully she set the wand back on the table. "I have to save my brother."

Hoping that Edward was having better luck tracking Andrea, Gretel stood up to leave. Part of her desperately wanted to sit back down and pick the old woman's brain for anything she could about white witches, about her mother, about herself but her brother needed her. "Come on Ben, let's go."

"You're not going to get very far without this," interjected Sabine before the pair made it more than a step from the table.

"I've been fighting witches most of my life... without a magic, I'm sure we'll be fine," reminded Gretel.

"I heard you about the witch killing earlier, it still won't do any good against Andrea; not now anyways. You're not the only one that's special, my dear." Gretel absently reached back out for her chair. "Your magic is in your family blood, it flows within you and …"

"Hansel." The name was shadow of a whisper on her lips as she thought about what Muriel would have done to her, what was probably happening to her brother right now.

Ben's eyes went huge. "Wait, you're telling us that Gretel's a witch and so is Hansel? Am I hearing this right?" He looked to his friend for some dismissal of the outlandish statement.

Gretel couldn't bring herself to look Ben in the eye. It had been a lie of omission at first, not something the siblings wanted to share right away, but eventually it had become too awkward and irrelevant, to simply blurt out that their mother had been a witch, and oh by the way so was Gretel. There was also a part of her that couldn't bear to have Ben look at her the way Hansel had when they found out the truth or the way her brother had looked at her when he realized she kept the wand.

"But only women are witches," Ben added.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Magic's for everyone, but like most things, women just do it better than men."

Gretel's brain finally caught up to her heart. "There's no blood moon and there aren't enough children missing for her to try the ritual."

"Women are more powerful and so it's very rare to have a grand white witch be male, if it's ever happened. I fear Andrea has far darker intentions for your brother. With his blood she can cast a spell that will make her virtually unstoppable; she probably has already."

Gretel's stomach bottomed out. Her line of work had provided her with plenty of material for her mind to conjure many horrific images of what Andrea could be doing to bleed her brother. "What am I supposed to do if she has already cast the spell?"

Sabine pushed the wand a little closer to Gretel. "Adrianna's power is well known and feared; that power is in you, you just need to learn to use it." Disbelief passed over Gretel's face. She'd never cast a spell in her life, how the hell was she going to take on a witch using magic of her own. "Alexis will teach you," offered the older woman.

Both Alexis and Gretel looked at one another before saying, "What?!"

Turning to Alexis, Sabine leaned in close. "We cannot let Andrea become this powerful. Do you really think she will leave us alone? We have a grand white witch in our presence; we'll never have another chance like this to take out Andrea and her coven." Alexis leaned back in her chair a little, conceding the point to Sabine. "I'm not a young girl anymore; I don't have the strength or energy to train someone."

"Fine!" snapped Alexis before storming out of the cottage.

"She will teach, and you will learn." Sabine offered Ben a warm smile; he had been rather on edge since the revelation about Hansel and Gretel but to his credit it wasn't the worst reaction she had seen to a person learning someone they cared about was a witch. "There may be much we can teach _both_ of you."

Gretel let out a sigh; this had disaster written all over it, but if it meant getting her brother back, if she could just save Hansel, then she would give anything a shot. This wasn't a fight she could afford to lose, so she would sell her soul to magic and prey that Hansel would find it in his to forgive her.

* * *

Ben sat on the fence watching Alexis and Gretel try hard not to kill one another; he just didn't understand why there was such hostility between the two of them, but it seemed to bubble over every time he got too close. They had started small on day one, with books and basic things leading into application the next day. Today they were attempting to channel power through the wand and destroy the bails of hail spread out on the hill.

If he was going to let himself be impressed with the whole magic thing, he would have to admit that Gretel seemed to take to it like a fish to water. All his life he had been taught that witches were evil, even Hansel had stressed as much when they first met, but then Mina had been an exception and anyone who didn't use magic to harm. Was Gretel still going to be an exception when all this was over?

Gretel felt the now all too familiar tingle start in her stomach and spread out to her fingers. By the time it got to her hand it felt like fire, molten hot and all consuming, then in a blink of an eye it was gone and the haze of energy that had been a vision of evil when facing other witches' powers surged forth from the wand. Her wand, it was _hers_ now not something she took from an evil witch, her wand.

She glanced down the meadow towards the hill but instead of her usual smoking creator beside her intended target there was nothing. "Ben did you see where that went?" called Gretel, tuning around but not finding her companion on the fence. She stared at the goat happily chomping on the grass and wonder when her young friend had slipped away.

"Nice shot." The sarcasm dripped from the words as Alexis got to her feet. She may have been told to teach Gretel, but she was definitely putting in the minimal amount of effort, opting for lounging under the bountiful apple tree for most of the afternoon. "Your aim notwithstanding, I'm sure Andrea's going to cower at the prospect of being turned into a goat."

"A goat?" asked Gretel as she watched the witch manhandle the goat towards her. A few carefully muttered words on Alexis's part and the goat turned into a confused looking Ben.

Ben pointed to the fence. "Wasn't I just…" He stopped, looking oddly at a pieces of grass he pulled from his mouth.

Frustration twisted Gretel's fingers and she stomped her foot down. "This is ridiculous; we don't have time for this! Andrea has Hansel and she's doing god knows what to him as we speak and I'm busy turning Ben into a fucking goat!"

The wand flashed and just like that all the tension, anger and frustration that had been raging in Gretel disappeared. She stood there breathless and panting; all seven targets on the hill were ash.

"That'll work," said Alexis.

* * *

A sharp cry pierced the veil surrounding Hansel and a tear slipped down the side of his head as he realized the sunny field with Gretel had only been a dream, a momentary escape from the hell that had become his world. Another loud thud echoed through the cavern and he lifted his heavy head to try and see what was disturbing the only sweet release he had left. Though his eyes had long since adjusted to the darkness, he couldn't see anything and passed the racket off as nothing more than Andrea.

Part of him knew he should care, that he should fight, not lay there and pray for death, but he had long since forgotten how to care. It was simply easier to fade into the black and hope to be carried away on the sweet wings of a dream.

The noise grew louder and harder to ignore. The room began to shake and not in the normal way that Hansel had become accustomed to in his delusional state. He caught a glimpse of Katja out of the corner of his eye but she disappeared out of it in a flash of amber light. A more muffled thud followed, a memorable sound, like someone hitting a wall. Footsteps, coming ever closer, moving straight towards him, all painfully loud and taunting.

"Enough, no more. Please," begged Hansel, whispered in an all too familiar prayer.

"..ans.."

Hansel squeezed his eyes tightly shut, his mantra passing over parched lips.

"…ansel!"

He wasn't going to listen to anymore lies. Gretel was safe; Edward had told him so. The incessant slapping was making it difficult to ignore Andrea's silver tongue.

"Hansel! God damn it, open your eyes!" demanded Gretel.

His eyes shot open and there she was, like a beacon of hope, Gretel was leaning over him. For a moment Hansel forgot to breathe; did he dare to hope this was real? He locked eyes with her; even if this wasn't real he would hold on to it. She looked relieved, almost happy, and that was how he knew Gretel was safe; no one trapped in that cave could be happy. As Hansel let himself drift back into the blackness, he felt Edward's strong grip pick him up and carry him away. He smiled; this was the best hallucination yet.


	18. Chapter 18

Gretel let out a sigh and slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, bloody cloth still clenched in her hand. She was alone with Hansel in the tiny room that Sabine had been gracious enough to provide. The soft glow of the flickering candle was comparative to her diminishing hope that Hansel was going to pull through this one. She took one last glance at her brother, limp on the bed, mumbling incoherent pleas in his delirium, then pulled herself up and stumbled out the door.

It had been two days since she and Ben had stormed Andrea's cave. She hadn't been a successful as she would have hoped; the magic still too new to her to be completely effective against the witches. Andrea had managed to be elsewhere when they attacked, sparing the she devil from Gretel's vengeful wrath. She wouldn't have needed magic to make the witch pay after she saw what state her brother was in.

The image of Hansel chained to the altar, blood constantly dripping from his sliced wrists still haunted her in every peaceful moment she found. Gretel wasn't sure she could ever erase that image from her mind. She was just thankful that Ben had managed to find and free Edward from the witch's clutches as well; he was an invaluable asset in carrying Hansel to freedom.

Their joy was short lived by the reminder that Andrea was still out there lurking and the fact that her brother's condition had not improved. Gretel knew if she could just see that moment of recognition in Hansel's eyes, that instant where he realized he was safe, than it would all be okay, but it hadn't come yet. Instead he weakly fought every touch and tossed and turned in a restless sleep, never really waking. It was compounded further by the continuous blood loss.

Sabine glanced up from the bowl she was stirring on the table as Gretel came out of the bedroom. Her lips tightened in a grimace when the hunter tossed the bloody rag on the table.

"I can't stop the bleeding." Gretel's frustration was growing more apparent with each passing second. "What could Andrea have done to cause this?"

"She's worked her magic my dear, powerful but rarely unbeatable."

"Magic doesn't work on us. You even said as much," snapped Gretel.

"Do you really think your mother would bless you with a gift that warded off all magic? What if it was required to save you one day? It would be too risky and impossible to cast such a spell; there's always a loophole," offered Sabine in that grandmotherly tone that conveyed all the experience of a life well lived.

"So you're saying I can use magic to save him?" asked Gretel trying desperately to keep the hope out of her voice lest it wither and die in the face of further disappointment.

"Magic can do wonderful things, all it needs is someone with the skill and conviction to do it."

Gretel nodded, the gears in her head turning. "Where's Ben and Edward?"

"They've gone to patrol the edge of the village; keep an eye out for any sign of Andrea. Once she's done licking her wounds from what you did to her coven, she will no doubt find her way here to exact revenge and reclaim her prize. You need to prepare for that. If she used his blood in the spell I believe she cast, then she might be unstoppable," cautioned the old lady.

"Hansel first, we'll worry about everything else after," stated Gretel as she rushed out the door. She ran along the dirt path until she arrived at the home in which Ben and Edward were residing. All of their belongings were tucked safely away in the little cottage the witches had set aside for the hunters, though she couldn't bring herself to leave Hansel's side even for the respite of a warm bed. Gretel tore through her bag, searching for the book Hansel had retrieved from their old house. Mina had been able to bless their weapons with its spells, perhaps there could be something in there to save her brother.

She had been surprised that Hansel had been the one to elect to keep the book. It represented everything he swore to kill and had somehow inherited. She had her suspicion that despite his insistence it was to keep the book from falling into the wrong hands, he held on to it as a momentum of his time with Mina.

Gretel gripped the book triumphantly in her hands as she made her way back to Sabine's home. The hunter had been no slouch in her studies, the job demanding a well rounded education born more out of experience than book learning, but the time it would take for her to decipher the old script enough to know which spell to cast would take up precious moments they might not have.

Marching into the tiny cottage, she slammed the book down in front of the old lady. "Is there something in here that will help?" She watched as Sabine's eyes flickered with hunger as she took in the impressive book. Gretel knew the temptation was there, a powerful witch like their mother would have a powerful grimoire, the envy of witches everywhere.

Sabine opened the book, her wrinkled fingers turning the pages with care and appreciation. She came to a stop about half way through, finger tips dancing over the letters as she silently read the incantation in bold ink. Turning the book to face the young hunter she tapped the page and said, "This should do the trick."

Gretel sagged with relief, healing Hansel, having her brother back was within sight. She took a deep breath and steeled herself against the task before her. Yes she had taken on a coven of witches with magic and prevailed but this was different, this was Hansel. There was no room for error when it came to the only family she had ever really had. Rescuing him had taken so much out of her and she still hadn't fully recovered from the energy it had taken to accomplish that task.

The spell consisted of a potion and incantation. It would take a day to prepare the potion, a day in which Gretel could rest and charge her reserves to succeed at saving the one person who had constantly been her saviour. "Can you make this potion?"

Sabine nodded and took the book back from Gretel. The hunter then grabbed a bowl of fresh water and a stack of cloths and returned to Hansel's side.

It pained her to see him like that, the joy of finding Hansel still alive had been too short lived. He was always so strong, constantly looking out for her and now she was almost terrified to lay a comforting hand on him in such a weakened condition. Through all their years of hunting and just being siblings together she had wanted to repay him for taking care or her, often at his own expense, but now that she had her chance, Gretel found that to be a selfish desire. She would give anything to take this back, and have him be the protector if it meant he would never suffer like this, in a way that had never befallen them before. What broke her heart the most was the way he fought against her as she tried to give him his injection with his back up syringe and vile.

Gretel rung out the cloth and patted it against the unending blood flow. It was as usual, ineffective, but it kept her hands busy and perpetuated the false belief that she was doing something to help, _something_ to ease his agony.

Hansel trembled underneath her hand letting out a small whimper. "Please, no more."

"Shhh, it's going to be alright Hansel. Just rest, you're safe now," whispered Gretel as she carded her fingers through his hair. Shifting him slightly, Gretel curled up next to her brother, holding him tight, trying to calm his fears. Gretel closed her eyes and gently hummed the lullaby Hansel has so often used to sooth her nightmare as a child. Tomorrow was going to be a trying day, and she prayed to a god she never quite believed in that she could save Hansel.


	19. Chapter 19

Something was wrong, not wrong… different, which given the circumstance meant wrong. Hansel couldn't quite place what had changed but the never ending cold that had been surrounding him since Andrea got her hooks back into him had vanished. The ever tightening knot of fear twisting his insides until there was nothing but unending suffering had relaxed a fraction and the sweet vaguely familiar melody of a lullaby from long ago tickled his ears. The hand holding his was tender and kind instead of the usual knobby claws that wrenched and twisted his limbs into compliance. It was reassuring and he almost let himself get lost in the kindness.

He cracked his eyelids open, everything was a blur, like smeared paint across a canvas. He tried blinking them, but the motion caught someone's attention and he had to clench his eyes tightly shut to ease the pain as a candle was brought closer. He could sense the light from behind closed lids and a cool cloth was pressed against his forehead. Hansel tired to make out what the person hovering over him was saying but like his vision the words were shapeless jumbles.

It had to be some sort of cruel trick, Andrea offering him comfort as part of her sick and twisted game, probably for information. She had threatened Gretel, but he knew his sister could evade the witch, as long as Hansel didn't give up any of their secrets. He fought against the gentle hands as best as he could, offering week protest at their caress, but in his current state he couldn't even summon enough energy to knock the hands away.

"N'ver 'ell you. Keep 'etel 'afe from you." Even his own words sounded unintelligible to his own ears but the protest had to be made.

The sweet voice that accompanied the gentle touch simply shushed him and ran their fingers through his hair. If he tried hard enough he could almost pretend that it was Gretel and he was safe. Hansel embraced that idea until the darkness swept him away again.

* * *

Consciousness returned slowly to Hansel. This time a soft darkness had settle in the room and the only sound was his shallow breaths and someone else's soft snores. He slowly brought his hand up to rub his aching head and his eyes shot open as he realized that he could in fact raise his hand. The cumbersome chains that had held him so tightly to a world of living death had vanished. Shifting his feet slightly, Hansel discovered that he wasn't restrained at all. Gone was the cold stone altar, replaced by soft, warm sheets and the putrid smell of decay that had long clogged his nose and throat had been exchanged for lilac and baked goods.

His head felt heavy, and it took an extraordinary amount of effort to let it lull to the side to see who was lying beside him. Hansel's lips curled into a joyous grin as the darkness gave way to the early rays of sun floating in through the window to gently kiss Gretel's sleeping form. It was a nice dream, he thought as he snuggled into her shoulder and closed his eyes.

* * *

Blinding pain snapped through Hansel and he gasped, trying desperately to catch his breath. He tried to pull his arm protectively towards him, but whoever was holding on to his hand refused to let go. Someone else was sitting behind him holding his head up but he couldn't make out any of the faces in the room, they were bathed in shadow despite the bright orange glow near his wrist.

He was so enamoured with the sparkling light that the hand that tightly gripped his jaw caught him off guard. His confusion found a voice but it was too late to get the words past his parched lips, as a wooden spoon was forced past his teeth letting a gelatinous slim slide down his throat. The taste made Hansel want to wretch but he couldn't breathe. Panic set in as he frantically clawed at the sheets, desperately trying to rollover and throw up the ooze that was coating his throat.

Reassuring words were whispered in his ear, wrapping around him like the arms that felt so foreign around his chest. The promises of safety were as repetitive as the chanting that dominated the room but the words were too quick for him to understand. Hansel groaned in protest and fought harder for free himself. Whatever Andrea was trying to do, he couldn't let her get away with it. He'd had enough of magic and all the suffering it brought.

Wiggling and squirming as much as his aching muscles, Hansel fought with everything he had. His chest heaved and his lungs burned with need for a decent breath. The world tipped sideways as his body jarred against the wooden floor. He laid there for a moment stunned, not only from falling off the bed but at his sudden freedom. Hand over hand he dragged his failing body towards the door. He had to get away.

"Hansel!" cried Gretel pausing in her chanting as her brother rolled himself off the bed. Watching him struggle and fight against those trying to help him, against her, was as painful as it must have been to go crashing to the floor. She scrambled towards him, the wand lying forgotten on the floor as she tried to calm her brother.

Exhaustion worked its magic over Hansel once again, slowing his movements and leaving him wrecked on the floor. He had the desire to fight, to refuse the reassuring touch, but lacked the strength. Prying his eyes open one last time, the world shifted into focus and he locked eyes with his sister. "Gretel?"

"Yes, Hansel. You're safe now." She offered a small smile, relieved that he had stopped trying to escape her ministrations. It was the first time he had looked at her, _really _looked at her and recognized who she was. Raising her hand, she gently brushed his sweat dampened bangs off his forehead before he slipped back into the blackness.

* * *

Gretel looked up at Sabine with tear filled eyes. She tightened her grip around Hansel's lax form, holding him close and rocking gently. "Why isn't it working? You said this would heal him!" She sounded like a broken child, forceful but unable to disguise her sorrow as she spoke.

The older woman scooted off the bed and knelt down next to the pair. Ever aware of Gretel's eyes upon her, she scooped up Hansel's hand and examined the wound that Andrea had inflicted. It showed signs of healing, the long gash half closed, but the spell should have worked faster and completely healed the young man. Gretel may not have her gift completely under control, but more progress should have been made, it was their fourth attempt after all.

"He's fighting you," whispered Sabine, letting her thoughts slip out.

"Look at him, he's not fighting anyone," snapped Gretel flicking her wrist to gesture her brother's limp form.

Sabine shook her head, the young witch had so much to learn. "It's Adrianna's spell. He doesn't want this one to help so the magic is being rendered useless. You're only having marginal success because he is too weak to understand what's going on. He can't differentiate between Andrea trying to finish what she started and you trying to help him. Your mother's magic is trying to protect him."

Gretel's heart fluttered. Hansel thought that she was trying to hurt him, the idea was almost too much for her. He had spent his whole life looking out for her, protecting her from the evils of the world, both real and imaginary. He gave everything for her and the one time she above all others could save him, she was failing.

Hansel's dead weight was hard to manage but Gretel clenched her teeth and forced her trembling muscles to support him. As awkward as it was she managed to get him back onto the bed. It was a small gesture but one of many she would have to make to convince the ailing man that he was safe with family.

"I'll let him rest, then try again later," said Gretel, keeping her focus on her brother's sweat soaked form.

Sabine nodded and took her leave. A sinking sensation bloomed in her gut. If the young man couldn't be convinced to let Gretel help, their efforts would be useless. The older witch secretly feared that there might be something more to his resistance than his delusional state.

* * *

Unrelenting and all encompassing pain throbbed up his arm. His lips failed to form words; instead they let out pitiful moans and whimpers. Hansel's eyes shot open, the world painfully in focus this time and bathed in eerie orange glow. The utter exhaustion and haze that had enveloped him for so long lifted and the memories of the past few months replayed in crystal clear clarity.

Hansel tried to pull his hand away from the source of the agony, but Gretel held it tighter, never pausing in her constant chanting. Like a blow to the face, reality hit him hard. His sister was sitting on the bed next to him; he was free from the witch's cave. She was sitting on the bed next him, but _Gretel _was using magic.

"Gretel..."

She paused, glancing up at the hoarse croak that escaped Hansel.

"What are you doing?" Utter confusion danced on his face. He couldn't be seeing things right. She knew better than to sell her soul to the devil for such things.

Gretel quickly averted her eyes away from his scrutiny. His personal beliefs and feelings towards the dark arts would have to wait until he was at one hundred percent. She ignored him, turning back to her work. If she stopped to explain it would only lead to a fight and Gretel wasn't in a position to try and finish the spell and restrain Hansel on her own. The hunter had opted to try helping her brother on her own, hoping it would help sooth his confusion.

The sickly colored skin had turned puffy and pink but the edges of the bleeding gash were coming together. The words tumbled out of Gretel's lips faster as the skin started to weave itself closed, preserving the precious life-force within.

Hansel stared in absolute shock at the sight before him. Somewhere along the line he had failed his sister if she was willing to resort to such measures. Gretel was so singularly focused on her journey down the dark path, with a determination Hansel had only seen when the pair went up against the creatures they swore to kill, a path that Gretel was taking steps towards, that she didn't even acknowledge him. Hansel yanked his hand back hard, glaring at his sister.

She flinched as he pulled back, unprepared for his reaction. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What the hell are you doing! We don't use magic, Gretel. We're not them!" he hissed.

"I'm trying to help you, you idiot. And I seem to recall you letting Mina work her magic to help take out Muriel," argued Gretel, not caring that her voice was rising.

"That's _different."_

"No, it's not," counter Gretel, her eyebrows knitting together in frustration at Hansel's pigheadedness.

"Yes, it is. She was a witch!" declared Hansel with so much force his voice echoed off the walls of the small room. They both flinched at the force in which the words were uttered.

Silence wrapped its oppressive arms around them and the bedroom bleed claustrophobia. Gretel sat there helpless as all the pain and hurt of Hansel's entire life ran exposed over his face. All the misery he had endured in his life had magic at its root and there had been so much hurt over the years. She realized that all the events in their life where he had been so strong, her rock, had affected him as much as they had her, only he didn't have anyone to confide in, only magic to blame.

Gretel reached out, lacing her fingers with his. In a hauntingly soft voice she vanquished the silence, "So are we."

Hansel whelming shook his head. "No we're not! I won't let you become that."

"If you don't let me help you, the spell won't work and you'll die. That's the only thing that's important, everything else we'll deal with." A cold shiver ran through Gretel as she caught the realization that dawned on her brother, she had said too much.

"I have to be willing to let you do this for it to work," hedged Hansel. "I won't. If you're not smart enough to save yourself... I won't let you become a monster."

"You let others, good witches, practice magic," countered Gretel, gripping his hand tighter as he tried to turn away from her. He was too weak to storm out of the room and had to settle for trying to turn away from her. She wasn't about to be deterred by his back, and when her hand slipped from his, she gently settled it on his shoulder.

"I don't care about other people," he confessed, "I don't care what happens to them, I care about what happens to you."

The almost tender moment was short lived as the nausea that had been building since Gretel stopped her chanting came to a head. His stomach muscles spasamed and cramped as a thick blue slime forced its way past him lips.

Gretel closed her eyes, she had to hear his pitiful wretches, she didn't want to have to watch it as well. She sat there, gently rubbing soothing circles on his back as he puked up all her hard work.


	20. Chapter 20

Gretel sat numbly at the table. The morning chatter of Edward, Ben and Sabine was nothing more than a soft buzz in the background of her mind. A thousand scenarios raced through her mind. Hansel had been a stubborn ass before but they couldn't afford it now. He had even gone so far as to order her out of the bedroom when he got fed up with her pleas to help him. Things had stop registering in her mind after that. Losing her brother was quickly becoming a reality and she didn't know if she was strong enough to stand by and do nothing no matter his feelings on the subject.

Their mother had given them a gift when she cast the spell to keep them safe; it had probably saved their lives more times than Gretel could count. Now it was the problem, the thing that Hansel could use against her to stop her from saving him because of his personal view of magic. If she could just convince him to let the magic do its work and stop him from fighting against it, let the magic work...

The chair skidded across the floor with a booming screech before slamming into the wall under the force in which Gretel stood up. Rage boiled beneath the surface as her eyes narrowed with determination. Everyone at the table paused, neither daring to move or speak as she stormed towards the bedroom.

"I'm going to kill him!" she hissed before slamming the door open.

Hansel flinched as the door smacked against the wall bouncing back from the force only to be kept open by Gretel's hand. He sucked in a shaky breath and prepared for yet another confrontation. It tore him up inside to be responsible for the pain and sadness that showed on her face but it would be better in the long run. She would get over it, and though it might cost him his life, she would be safe and free of magic's oppressive grip. He just had to be strong and see this through.

Hansel recoiled slightly at the look of pure rage on his sister's face. Her hands were tightly coiled fists and her shoulders shock with anger. Neither had the ability to conjure any words, the tense silence filling the room leaving no room to breathe.

"You wanted her to kill you." She didn't yell but the words were full of accusation and a million emotions that he had tried to spare his sister from over the years.

Hansel's gaze faltered and his eyes dropped down to his hands. "I don't know what you're..."

"Don't lie to me!" snarled Gretel as she took several imposing steps forward bringing her to the edge of the bed. She wanted so bad to wrap her hands around his neck and shake some sense into him.

"I'm not!" snapped Hansel. His arms trembled under the effort of trying to leverage himself into a sitting position. It was a more definable position, not that he thought Gretel would ever intentional hurt him, but the hunting lifestyle had engrained so many habits, most if which could not be ignored.

Burying the hurt in justified rage, Gretel moved forward and grabbed his wrist. Her fingers digging into the tender flesh causing her brother to frown at the discomfort but she refused to let go. Thrusting the ugly wound closer to his face, her frown deepened. "Magic doesn't work on us Hansel, so how do you explain this!"

"I don't, but I think you might have the talent now to do so." The words were harsher than he meant them, but they were out there now and as warranted as they might have been, he couldn't take them back. He knew the words had rocked Gretel when her grip loosened and he was able to rip his arm from her grasp, cradling it protectively against his chest.

Her hand flew before she realized it, slapping Hansel hard across the face. The sting in her hand hurt and she could only imagine what the side of his face felt like but to his credit he just stared at her stunned. "I think you wanted it to work Hansel." She paused to swallow down the sob that was building. Her voice cracked as she continued, "You wanted the spell to kill you, then it would be done, you'd be done."

Hansel suddenly became enamoured with a spot on the wall; well away from Gretel's tear filled eyes. He opened his mouth a few times trying to find the words that would make everything better. How could he explain that he was willing to do anything, to endure anything if it meant that no hunter would ever come after Gretel with the goal of burning yet another witch at the stake? He whispered, "I did it to protect you. I'm doing it to save you."

"I don't need you to protect me Hansel, I need you to be there for me. If you're not around, then I have nothing left. You can't leave me," she pleaded. Gretel racked her brain trying to figure out the point where things took such a dark turn. The world had thrown heartache, witches and magic at them their whole lives, and though she could always see the fragile side of Hansel under the blood and grim, he always displayed a strong front for the world to see. When had he embraced such hopelessness? The first signs that the hard outer shell was cracking had been after they fought Muriel. The revelation about their parents and the death of Mina had been a hard pill for him to swallow and Gretel had been so distracted by the wand she had hidden, that she let the wound fester to the point where her brother believed this course of action was the only way.

Hansel swallowed hard as he picked at a loose thread in the blanket. He knew he was being selfish and taking the easy way out but somewhere along the way it just became too hard. They were becoming entwined in a world he wanted no part of and worse, Gretel was willing to jump in with both feet. He wasn't stupid, his sister didn't need his protection anymore but being her protector had been the thing that had pushed him through every battle. He had been determined to save the one person who hadn't thrown him away. His father couldn't protect his mother and in the end he had no delusion that he could do any better for Gretel, but he could give her a fighting chance. She wouldn't be alone either; there was Edward and Ben to have her back. They could continue and he could just... he could just be done, done with the heartache and pain.

"Please Hansel, I need you. This magic thing is going to happen with or without you. It's who we are. I need you around to keep me honest."

Wiping away a traitorous tear that curled down his cheek, Hansel let out a sigh. "How can I argue with that?"

Both knew he had reservations about the plan but he was willing to give Gretel the benefit of the doubt for now. He never could say no to her. With a great amount of reluctance he placed his hand back in hers giving her a small nod of consent to whatever she was going to do to reverse what Andrea had done.


	21. Chapter 21

"Your aim's still a little off my dear," commented Sabine without taking her eyes off of her knitting. Having sent Alexis and Ben to do recognisance on the town, the older woman was the only one knowledgeable and comfortable enough to offer Gretel any sort of training. "Trust your instincts. You intuitively know how to do this, just believe in yourself.

Gretel rolled her eyes. Clearly this was a case of easier said than done. She could fight witches in her sleep and was looking forward to paying back Andrea for everything she inflicted upon Hansel, but Sabine believed that their usual methods of hunting would be ineffectual against the Grand Witch now. There was also the fact that this coven of witches seemed to have no desire to join them in a fight and with Hansel still not at a hundred percent, that left her, Ben and Edward to deal with the coming threat.

The young hunter went back to destroying bales of hay across the field. Her reach was definitely expanding but the punch and accuracy was still something to be desired. The element of surprise had worked when they rescued Hansel but when they went up against the coven again, she knew she would have to deliver the goods and not carefully worded threats to try and scare them off.

Edward approached the field at a painfully slow rate, even for him. His precious cargo demanded carefully treatment and even though Gretel would probably be displeased, the troll couldn't say no to Hansel's request. Even if he could deny a request from a witch, he still wouldn't have been able to stand by and watch Hansel's feeble attempts to escape the confines of bed on his own.

The hunter would never admit that he needed help but the death grip he had on Edward as they slowly made their way across the field was evidence enough of his still weakened condition. Being vertical was a whole new challenge these days and Hansel had to dig deep to push his way through the light-headedness that plagued him upon standing.

The uneven ground that wouldn't have been an issue before was torturous, doing nothing for his already compromised balance. If the troll hadn't taken pity on him, offering a steady shoulder to lean against, Hansel was sure he'd still be a sad heap by the cottage door. The path to the field wasn't far but to his tired aching body, he had just undertook and arduous journey.

The pair stood at the very edge of the field watching Gretel practice the craft that was hers by birth. Hansel tried to keep an open mind and not let his disdain for magic fuel the hurt and hatred that lingered beneath the surface. He knew what was at stake, both for the inevitable battle on the horizon and the rest of their lives.

It was hard to take a lifetime of hate and see the positives. But Gretel had sacrificed so much, against his wishes, and he couldn't let her face the inevitable consequences on her own. Their world, which was wrought with danger before, had become even more treacherous. Not only did they have to fear the witches and monsters that roamed the dark but the everyday villagers would now have cause to see them harm when they caught wind of Gretel's new abilities.

The lesser of two evil, that's what Hansel had chosen when he agreed to let Gretel help him. The begging, though it broke his heart, could have been ignored. It was that determined look in her eyes that had told him not matter what happened, she was going to embrace this part of them. Sure she would have stopped after his death but it would only have been temporary. The all consuming pull, the delicate whispers in the dark, would have been too much for Gretel to ignore forever and eventually she would have picked up the wand again. Though a little piece of Hansel died every time he saw the magic emanate from within her, he would do his job and protect her; no matter how many more enemies they would gain.

"She'll get it," offered Sabine with a reassuring pat on the shoulder as she made her way back down the trail to the cottage giving the group their privacy. Hansel gave a solemn nod. He had no doubt that his sister had the ability to master magic; that still didn't make it right. How many other witches had they hunted down that started with the best intentions?

Gretel paused for a moment to catch her breath. Using magic required a stamina unlike anything else she did. The potential of what she could do would make all their current weapons and tricks look like child's play, but she still didn't have enough control over it; at least not enough that she was willing to risk Hansel's life. They had worked so hard to rescue him, heal him, and still Andrea was out there lurking in the shadows, waiting to take it all away from them.

She caught sight of Hansel out of the corner of her eye. It was easy to forget how fragile he was when they were sitting at the breakfast table engaging in what was now forced banter, but seeing him hanging on to Edward for dear life, hit home just how close she came to losing everything.

Gretel made her way over to the pair cautiously. She had never had to tread so lightly around her brother before, but their bond was a delicate string right now, one wrong move and it would snap. They had never had such different views before and unfortunate their inherited stubbornness was only making the situation more difficult.

Offering the troll a big genuine smile, Gretel slipped her arm around Hansel's waist. "I've got him, thanks Edward."

The large creature looked at the two hunters he dared to consider friends, with hope. The tension wasn't just felt by the siblings but Edward and Ben as well. Receiving a reassuring nod from the young man clinging to him, Edward offered an understanding head tilt before passing along his charge to Gretel.

A million things ran through Gretel's head, all vanishing at the look of trust Hansel was exuding. It felt good to have that again and she didn't want to risk it by saying something that could be misconstrued. Hansel had seen her using magic with his own eyes now and if he wasn't going to launch into a tirade about it, then she was going to count this as a win and not press her luck. With the gentleness she would visit upon a child, she slowly assisted Hansel with the journey back to the cottage.

Hansel didn't protest Gretel's help, simply fell in step with her reassuring grip. His internal debate raged. He didn't want to offer encouragement to something he knew wholeheartedly would spell their doom but he wanted, no needed, his sister back. It had always been them against the world and the prospect of facing that big bad world alone was terrifying. He missed her kind words and gentle smiles. Gretel was the only person to ever stick with him, to have his back and deep down he knew she would only ever be the one to do that. "Your aim's off."

The words threw Gretel for a moment. They sounded so much like the childhood banter they had maintained through their teens and into adulthood. She dared to hope it was a sign that things could return to normal and offered the most inoffensive words she knew with a prayer that it wouldn't destroy the tentative olive branch that has been extended. "So it would seem."

"Can you even hit the broad side of a barn?" The lightness of his voice was forced but it still held the ring of teasing in which he meant it.

"You're one to talk. Remember the witch in Hanover? I think you shot everything but her."

"Yeah," replied Hansel, a slight blush creeping up his neck. "But in the end you were there to take her head off with that scythe."

Gretel smiled. It had been an incredibly demanding fight, one the then young teens had barely survived, but it had been one of their defining moments as a duo. "Only because you moved her into position."

"We make a good team," said Hansel wistfully.

"Yes we do." Gretel paused, shifting Hansel's weight so they could look each other in the eye. "I don't want that to change, Hansel."

He wanted to promise her the world, that happy ending she had always heard about in stories could be a real thing, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to her. "I can't promise that it won't, but I'll try."

"I don't want to lose you, to this ... or them."

"I don't either. Promise me, you're not going to lie to me anymore and when I ask you to stop this, you'll stop?"

It was an honest request born of love and concern, and she couldn't refuse it. "If you promise me that you'll come at this with an open mind."

"Gretel! Hansel!" yelled Ben as he came running at full steam down the path.

The siblings both tensed, immediately on guard. Ben stopped in front of the pair, gasping to try and catch his breath.

"What's going on Ben?" asked Gretel after glancing around in search of any sort of pending threat.

"It's... we were... the village... Andrea..." wheezed the young man through ragged breaths.

"Slow down and take a deep breath," soothed Gretel.

"Andrea, she's ransacking Sage," offered Alexis, joining the group in slightly better condition than Ben.

"What about the townspeople?" questioned Gretel.

"They've fled to the hills. She won't chase after them," answered Alexis while Ben nodded along with her assessment.

"Why not?" asked Hansel.

"It's not them she's after. Once she levels the town and discovers you're not there, she will come here," Alexis warned.

Hansel looked at Gretel. "We're out of time."

"Ready or not, here she comes," muttered Gretel.


	22. Chapter 22

Wispy clouds dotted the grey sky, moving impossibly slow compared to the breeze blowing through the spindly trees whose barren branches were reaching towards the muted glow of the sky, tearing the gentle fabric of the heavens. The sweet smell of spring danced along the wind adding to the deceptive calm of the day.

Gretel longed to just take a moment and enjoy the day but the figurative storm was on the horizon and the luxury of peaceful moments had long since past. The small hidden community had turned into a ghost town overnight. Word of Andrea's impending arrival had sparked panic amongst the coven and under Sabine's direction, the witches packed up the necessities and disappeared into the night.

The witch hunter had gone between anger, understanding and disappointment so many times it made her dizzy. When hunting witches, the siblings rarely had help, at least any useful help, so being alone now wasn't anything new. Somehow the four of them would persevere. Though her recent entry into the world of practicing magic was in its infancy, it was still something more than they had before.

It wasn't hard to see Sabine's point in taking her coven and leaving. They had sought refuge in the town of Sage from inter-coven wars, only to be persecuted for witchcraft and forced to leave their home once again. There were also the coven's children to consider and neither hunter wanted to see any child experience what they had been forced to suffer. The sting of betrayal at being left to deal with Andrea alone still flowed beneath the surface, no matter the reasons for leaving.

Gretel made her way to the barn, having been told that was the last place Ben had seen Hansel heading. She was thankful that Edward and Ben were going to stand by them, having given no indication one way or the other how they felt about recent events. She suspected that with Edward being a troll and Ben's enthusiasm for all things hunting it would trump any foray Gretel might take into the magical world but one could never tell what someone held in their heart.

Reaching the old barn, she paused to organize her thoughts. They would need all available bodies in this fight but the fact still remained that Hansel wasn't in any shape to deliver a fearsome ass kicking to anyone. Worrying about him, especially before the battle had begun, simply added to the enormous weight that was resting on her shoulders.

The agonizing squeak of the door foretold of someone's arrival making Hansel aware of his company before her shout gave her away.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" demanded Gretel upon seeing her brother attempting to manoeuvre a large wooden barrel across the barn.

"Last I heard, we were going to have to fight a witch," muttered Hansel through gritted teeth. Normally the barrel wouldn't have stood a chance but at the moment he was convinced it had the weight of twenty.

"I know that, but what does that have to do with you?" Hansel honoured her with a dirty look causing Gretel to rethink her approach. "You can barely stand, Hansel. I've got this one and if I need help, I'll have Edward and Ben."

"Not an invalid. We've been doing this the old fashioned way our whole lives. No point in abandoning the tried and true method for something with more flash. Besides, you gave me grief for trying to protect you, what makes you think it'll work the other way around?"

"I'm just trying to look out for you. It's not like you're in any shape to go round for round with a witch right now and there's a very good chance I can take care of this myself."

"Now who's trying to sacrifice themselves for the other?" he offered with an evil grin.

Not willing to give Hansel an over inflated sense of being right, Gretel tactfully switched their focus back to what her brother was doing. "What's in the barrel?"

Hansel pried the lid off revealing the greasy contents within. With dramatic showmanship he waved his hand highlighting the impressive collection of barrels stored within the barn. "That's a lot of flammable oil."

Gretel took in the sheer amount at their disposal. "Yes it is."

"Shame if someone got doused in it," he added with a shrug.

She smiled. "They'd burn pretty good."

"Wouldn't have a chance. Be a shame though to leave it here. Some poor fool could cause an accident. Maybe we should take it and dispose of it; for safety reasons."

"Maybe we should." Gretel nodded. A plan was shaping up.

* * *

Andrea's dark and mistrusting eyes scanned the empty paths that wound their way around the meagre homes in the village. The quaint factor that the cozy cottages and white picket fences brought left a fowl taste in her mouth. Witches trying their best to blend in with pathetic humans was a transgression unlike any other. The worms of humanity should bow and wriggle at the feet of the power and might that the dark arts bestowed upon the chosen, but there were always some that believed they had no right to show humans their true place in the world. After dealing with the Grand White Witch and taking back the prize in which Andrea had acquired, she would teach Sabine's coven the error of their ways and force them to bow like the humans they treasured.

The village was unnaturally quiet, not even a cricket could be heard. The witch's honed senses tingled with anticipation and expectation for the coming confrontation. The hunters that had become the thing of legend and nightmare would not turn tale and run, especially when there was nowhere Hansel could hide from her. Like a ghost emerging from shadows stood Gretel at the end of the well worn path. Equally as quickly as the hunter's appearance, was a twisted grin that swept over Andrea's face, the same devilish delight sparkling in her cold dead eyes.

"I have to say, the thought of tearing you apart piece by piece has left me with a warm tingling feeling ever since I laid eyes on you," Andrea hissed but her words had no outwardly impact on the hunter who held her ground with fierce determination. Her snake like tongue darted over her lips as she decided to hit a little closer to home. "It's almost as thrilling as the thought of getting my hands on your dear, helpless, pathetic, brother again. Oh, the things I'm going to do to him this time... and in front of your rotting corpse."

Outwardly Gretel's eyes narrowed, but inwardly her heart began to flutter as panic washed over her. No one threatened her brother and got away with it. This time though, there was the very real possibility that the witch could carry out her threat. Gretel's fingers tightened around the wand, its smooth surface almost becoming reassuring in her grip. She fought the urge to turn and run, run to Hansel and ensure that he would be safely out of this monster's clutches; that's what Andrea wanted her to do. It had taken a lot of convincing, but Gretel had managed to get through her brother's pig headedness enough to convince him to stay back. It was dirty to throw out the '_make me feel safer if I knew you were out of the direct line of fire'_ card, but it did have the desired effect.

Out of the corner of Gretel's eye she caught the shadows and nervous twitches of what was left of Andrea's coven lurking like wolves on the outskirts of the village, waiting for their leader to indicate it was time to attack and dine on the flesh of those who dared to challenge. It was comforting to know that she was not alone, that hovering somewhere behind her was a mighty troll and a kid who made up in heart and determination what he lacked in witch hunting experience. The numbers weren't in their favour but the odds were; even if Andrea was told to have impossible powers now.

The earth stilled during their standoff; even the heavenly body in which life had formed wasn't brave enough to make the first move in this coming blood bath. They were both still as statues, sizing up one another's weaknesses, looking or the best place to strike a fatal blow. A sharp and decisive snap of a simple twig unleashed the fierceness and complexity of a battle for the ages.

The raw and exposed nerves of all present went into overdrive believing the other side had made the first move. The sharp hisses and screeches were met with Edward's deep roar and thundering footsteps. The bang of bullets leaving the relative stillness of the Ben's rifle coincided with each crackle and fizzle of well directed magic. Chaos irrupted in the blink of an eye and neither side was going to bow down to the other.

Pine needles rained upon the ground as Andrea skilfully twisted out of the way of Gretel's lightening bolt of righteous anger. The witch was quick to counter, sending the hunter flying with a flick of her wrist. A mere demonstration of the power promised but effective none the less.

A pained moan left Gretel's lips as the impact with the tree rattled every bone in her body before bouncing off of it to the ground. The soft earth enveloped her, cushioning some of the secondary impact. Scrambling to her feet quickly, she met Andrea's next blow head on, deflecting it with the soft orange glow of her own wand. They went hit for hit, both inflicting damage upon the other but neither willing to give up. There was too much at stake to concede to the enemy; Andrea and Gretel were determined to keep Hansel for themselves.

Gretel brought her elbow down hard, snapping Andrea's head to the side. Black blood oozed from the witch's lip painting her teeth with the same color reflected in her eyes. The feral growl that emanated from Andrea would have made a lesser woman tremble in fear but Gretel buried her foot deep in the witch's gut. Gnarled claws found purchase in the hunter's leg giving Andrea enough of a grip to lift her opponent off her feet.

Gretel found herself airborne once again, only this time the ground wasn't as forgiving. Jagged points of rocks and other forest debris reached up to greet her, slicing delicate skin creating small trickles of blood. The world tilted and threatened to dissolve into blackness but a firm shake kept the darkness at bay. Her muscles felt heavy and signalled their desire to give up but she forced herself to her knees. Like a flash, a dark form streaked past her breaking through the tentative line they had been holding. The witch looked vaguely familiar and in one heartbreaking moment it clicked; that was the witch that had been tormenting Hansel when they arrived at the caves.

The young hunter searched the raging battle for any sign of Edward. The troll whom had been holding his own against several of the tree witches had broken off his attack to charge at Andrea. With full force he sped towards the grand witch; no one picked on someone he cared about without consequence.

The enemy was almost within reach of his mighty hands when she turned abruptly and commanded, "Stop!"

Edward's feet immediately stopped despite his heart's fondest desire to continue forward and crush the witch's skull with his bare hands. The age old commandment that had long since been breed into trolls as penance for their slights against Wiccan kind took control of him and the shackles of servitude compelled him to obey.

Andrea cocked her head, the tell tale smile of evil intentions painting itself across her cold rotting features. "Kill the girl."

His body obeyed, slowly closing the distance towards his friend. Edward's hands clenched into tight fists ready to pound and crush at Andrea's bidding but his eyes gave away the tender soul within, the part begging to be spared from having to carry out the command.

The terror in Edward's eyes broke Gretel's heart. The troll had been extremely candid about the events that led to him being a prisoner right alongside Hansel, even his believed betrayal of turning the ailing hunter back over to those planning the young man further harm. Despite Gretel's objections, they considered the eventuality of Edward being forced to work against his friends and reluctantly they all agreed to do whatever needed to be done to triumph over the coven.

"Edward, please stop," pleaded Gretel desperately hoping she wouldn't be forced to raise a hand against her friend. Much to everyone's surprise, the troll stopped dead in his tracks. Andrea shared the look of confusion that overtook both Edward and Gretel.

Andrea narrowed her eyes trying to force the troll to complete the act on sheer will alone. Much to the beast's relief he did not move. "I said kill the girl, now!" shrieked the witch, stomping her foot like and angry teenager.

Again the troll took a step towards Gretel.

"Don't do it Edward." The hunter took a cautionary step back to maintain distance but the troll obeyed and ceased his attack. It was a battle of wills for control over the troll and all Edward could do was follow instructions, his desire to listen to one over the other a mere footnote in the battle.

If Andrea could give the order but Gretel could stop it, she could keep the troll safe. Her mind wandered back to Hansel and the witch that was frantically searching for a man that was unable to fight at a hundred percent. Killing two birds with one stone, she ordered, "Edward, go protect Hansel."

He breathed a sigh of relief and ambled down the path, away from Andrea, away from potentially hurting Gretel. A few simple words uttered by someone who was quickly becoming a magical force to be reckoned with had made Edward useful to his friends once again and saved him from the horror he had known when dealing with witches.

The tension, which was already high, managed to find a new level of uncomfortable tightness. Not only had Gretel interrupted Andrea's plans for Hansel, stood her ground in the face of the grand witch's threats but now she had demonstrated greater power by being able to counter Andrea's control over Edward. Her hand that had been protectively holding her side, thanks to that last hit, fell down to Gretel's side, coiling into a tight fist. The battle hadn't been the clean easy sweep they needed, but the numbers were quickly turning in their favour, more importantly, Andrea seemed to be becoming more angry and irritated by the fact that the hunter was still on her feet.

Ben was thinning the herd at a remarkable rate; Edward was out of Andrea's reach and on his way to protect Hansel from the bitch that was tearing apart the town to nip at his heels and Andrea was looking a little worn around the edges. Gretel took a deep breath and prepared for one more round to knock the witch on her ass.


	23. Chapter 23

Hansel bit his lip; waiting while others got to be in the thick of things was never his strong suit. His body was screaming to move, to do something other than wait; he was a coiled spring begging for release but none was in sight. The sounds of a well waged war could be heard in the background and he had to remind himself that Gretel could, under most circumstances, take care of herself. They had a plan and deviating from it could put everyone in danger. The hunter let out a huff, opting to pace while he drummed his fingers against his thigh.

All he had managed to do was some prep work for this battle and that had left him weak and shaky. He would never admit it to anyone, but Gretel might have been right about him needing to limit his involvement in this one. Hansel cursed himself work being weak, not just physically but for allowing any of it to happen in the first place.

In a rare moment he remembered his mother, her kind eyes and loving smile, the warmth that embraced him whenever she hugged him. They were brief but uplifting memories that he buried deep. Life didn't hand out happy endings and there was no point in deluding himself . It was shortly after those precious moments that everything was taken from him, his mother and father killed, abandoned in the forest, all because of the curse their mother had passed on to them: witchcraft. In that moment he cursed Adrianna too. Hell, his father wasn't innocent in any of it either. He knew she was a witch and still chose to be with her, have children that would suffer because of what she was. Hansel never hated himself more than that moment but as the sounds of witches meeting their demise drifted on the wind, he pushed it aside.

The barn door burst open with enough force that it rattled the walls. Hansel snapped his head around to look at the intruder. His stomach dropped as he took in the mangy creature before him, the all too familiar smile twisting his insides. He could feel her hands on him, jabbing his injection into him to prolong his suffering.

Katja stood there, her eyes hungrily searching for the human that had cost her so much. His wretched sister had managed to inflect some pretty impressive scars upon her and she was going to make Hansel pay for each and every one of them. Her shrill cackle sounded as she found her target still looking pale and weak. It would be as easy as stealing a baby in the night.

"Poor little hunter, left all alone. I'll take care of you," taunted the hag.

"Yeah, I'll bet you will," sneered the hunter.

Hansel braced himself as the witch lunged towards him. Her weight crashed down upon him and they both collapsed to the floor a flurry of fists and claws. The hunter sucked in a deep breath trying to force the air back in his lungs after such a hard hit. He began to feel his limbs burn with effort far sooner than he was use to and with sheer determination he managed to get his legs up to deliver a vicious blow, knocking Katja backwards.

The witch shook her head to regain her focus, turning her growing rage back to the annoying human who was scrambling to his feet. With lightning speed she lunged again at her pray scampering across the hay littered ground after him.

Hansel's hand brushed the rung of the ladder in a desperate attempt to flee and gain higher ground on a far more prepared enemy. Sharp claws ripped into his side yanking him from the ladder. Using the witch's momentum against her, he pushed back with his feet throwing his whole body back onto her. His combined weight along with a carefully aimed elbow to the head was enough to get the witch to loosen her damaging grip.

Scurrying to his feet once more, Hansel imparted to Katja a very satisfying kick to stomach before searching for something he could use as a weapon. His dealings with Andrea had had left him sloppy and off his game; he had left his weapons near the door to the barn. Part of him wanted to make the attempt to get his gun, correct the rookie mistake he had made but the distance was too far and one very pissed off witch was quickly getting to her feet.

A pitch fork gleamed in the pale light of the barn, a beacon of hope in a pile of discarded hay. Hansel pushed himself to move as fast as he could, which at the moment was shamefully slow. His heart pounded in his chest at the exertion in time with the pounding of Katja's footsteps behind him.

The ground rushed up to meet him as Katja wrapped a gnarled hand around his ankle. A moan escaped his lips as his face ploughed painfully into the stone, his nose releasing a river of red. Wiggling for all he was worth, Hansel inched his way forward, ever closer to the sharp useful teeth of the pitchfork.

Katja coiled her arms around the wiggling worm beneath her, trying to get a firm grip to hold him steady. Despite the odds being in her favour, the pair found themselves getting closer to her pray's intended target. Opting to play as dirty as the foul human under her, Katja leaned forward, sinking her teeth into the fleshy part of his shoulder. The hunter let out a growl as the warm delicious liquid poured into her mouth. Even the bouquet of the blood was divine and unlike any she had experienced before; Andrea was right, there was something special about this human, this half witch.

Greedily she dragged her teeth further across his flesh freeing more of the delicious nectar. The heavenly indulgence cost her as the sharp burning sensation of impalement ripped through her side. Her hands frantically fumbled to remove the protruding pitchfork but the satisfied smirk on Hansel's face fuelled her rage. With a hiss and a snarl the witch used her magic to send the hunter flying into the stack of barrels in the far corner, gaining her a moment to right herself.

Hansel felt the force of the magic hit him followed by the unmistakable force of connecting with a solid object. His side screamed in agony and he couldn't hold the sound in, letting a painful cry follow the thud of his already abused body slam into the floor. He had enjoyed the feeling of the pitchfork as it slide into the witch with an all too familiar ease. The hunter realized his mistake too late, as now he was unarmed and staring down an infuriated witch wheedling the only weapon he had. In a split second the pitchfork came flying at his head with tremendous force. Instinctively he raised his arm to shield his face; and ineffectual move but the only one his brain could coordinate in such a short period of time.

All encompassing warmth surged through him and just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared leaving him feeling empty and exhausted. He opened his eyes to find the pitchfork impaled in the opposite wall and the barrel of oil that had been sitting next to him in shambles on the floor at her feet; its contents thoroughly soaking the witch. The hunter let out a shaky breath as he tried to piece together what had happened; even Katja looked confused.

The two opponents stared at each other but before either could make sense of the situation, Hansel reached into his pocket and pulled out his flint striking it. Sparks danced down catching the oil and coiling along until the flames engulfed all the fuel. "Where's your smile now bitch?"

* * *

Edward had meant to burst into the barn and offer aid to the hunter but as he crossed the threshold he froze. Watching as the air crackled with green energy around Hansel, curled in a heap by the barrels, Katja waiting for her weapon to strike, the troll's stomach twisted into knots. The barrel moving under Hansel's misguided and unintentional will caused the creature fear. Gretel wasn't the only one with magic in her blood.

It was Katja's screams as the fire consumed her that spurred Edward into action. He grabbed Hansel by the shoulders and dragged him out of the barn before he shared the witch's fate.

Hansel let out a bone shaking cough as Edward set him on the ground. The sun had been blackened out by the smoke rising from the ruins of the barn but in the faint glow of the fire he could see the look of concern on Edward's face. Neither spoke, both to shaken by what had happened in the barn to form words.

The blank look on Hansel's face shifted to determination as he heard Gretel engaging Andrea. As the hunter got to his feet and rushed to aid his sister, Edward felt guilt start to gnaw at his insides. Hansel had no idea what had happened or the implications of it and the troll didn't know if he had the heart to impart the bitter truth to either of his friends.

* * *

Andrea paused as she heard Hansel approach. A smile twisted her face at the prospect of having the hunter served on a silver platter. All she had to do was finish off his insolent sister and the world would tremble at her feet.

"I'm so glad you could join us," cooed Andrea. She tried to maintain a look of confidence and control but Hansel could see the fraying around her edges just as he could see Gretel coming to the end of her rope too. Sabine had been right, magic couldn't bring Andrea's demise now.

"Well it isn't polite to miss a funeral," retorted Hansel.

"Oh, did your mother teach you that?" mocked the witch.

"You don't get to talk about our mother," added Gretel.

"You think you're better than me?" shrieked Andrea, "you're no greater than the beasts that crawl and slither across the ground. You humans turn easily on one another pretending to be just and honourable but in the end you're all just mindless beasts clinging desperately to the idea that you could be something more. You..."

"You talk too much," interrupted Hansel, tugging on the wire twisted around the tree next to him. The leaves and branches swayed as the tension in the line was released. A downpour of oil splashed across the battlefield.

With a swing of her arm, Andrea unleashed her furry upon the two hunters, sending debris flying to knock them across the field.

Gretel got her feet under her faster than Hansel, her hand instinctively reaching for her wand only to come up empty.

"Looking for that?" asked Andrea, nodding in the direction of the wand laying discarded on the ground. With a slight flick of the wrist she launched it well out of reach or either of the siblings. "Now what are you going to do? You don't have the talent to direct you magic without a wand."

"Guess we'll have to do it the old fashioned way," replied Gretel before turning to Hansel and adding, "light the bitch up."

"With pleasure," answered Hansel, igniting the flame that would dispatch the carnal form of his recent nightmares.

The flames moved quickly and with purpose, giving the witch no time to react. She simply failed, releasing an ear splitting scream until there was nothing left but ash.

The siblings stood there watching the fire until it died out. A sense of relief embraced them. Their small group had defied the odds and won the day. Ben, a little worn but nothing that wouldn't heal within a day or so, had held his own. Edward had found a way to help despite an inbred need to serve those who embraced witchcraft. More importantly the siblings saved the day using the honest methods they had learned. Gretel's magic hadn't corrupted her and just maybe Hansel could begin to see a world in which their heritage wasn't the elephant in the room.

As they stood there in front of the smouldering pile ash that was their victory, it was like a weight had been lifted. Edward wasn't sure he could bring himself to replacing it by revealing what he had witnessed in the barn and the looming death sentence that would surely be looming over Hansel's head.

"Are you coming Edward?" asked Gretel looking happy for the first time since Hansel found Muriel's wand in her possession.

The troll bit his lip and nodded. They should celebrate the victories while they had them. Sorrow could wait for a new day and new problems. The troll silently fell in line with the others as they made their way down the trail, leaving Sage and the small witch community behind.

"So where are we going next?" asked Hansel.

"Well there were some reports of witchcraft in the village of Böse," supplied Ben with more enthusiasm than anyone having survived such a battle should.

"Böse... that sounds ominous," sighed Hansel.

"I don't care where we go, as long as there's a healer. You look like shit Hansel," chuckled Gretel.

"You're not so pretty either," answered Hansel as they settled into their usual easy banter. Things looked like they were returning to normal, whatever normal was anyway.

The End?

* * *

**A million thanks for reading this tale and a million more to anyone who reviewed.** It took a shamefully long time to get this posted and I thank those who were patient and stuck with it from the beginning.

I've been toying with the idea of doing another Hansel and Gretel story. So I guess I'm wondering if there's any interest?


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